Deshaun Watson may not have earned the starting job for the Houston Texans just yet, but if his head coach's comments following his professional debut are any indication, the rookie got off to a solid start.
Texans bench boss Bill O'Brien was quick to praise his team's first-round draft pick following a 27-17 preseason defeat to the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, admiring both Watson's intelligence shown on the field and the way he handled pressure.
"He is a smart and distinctive player. First game out there I thought he did some big things," O'Brien told reporters following the game, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com.
"It is a big jump from college to the NFL. I thought he handled it pretty well. There are probably a couple of things that we could've done differently. He could've played a little bit better on certain plays, but overall I thought he handled himself pretty well for his first time out."
Watson acknowledged the contrast between the college game and the NFL - in both speed and player ability - following his debut, but said his overall focus will remain the same.
"This is professional football," Watson said. "The highest level of this sport. It's a lot faster, bigger guys, smarter guys. At the same time, I am doing the same thing they're doing. I'm watching film, trying to play fast also. At the end of the day, it's still football. You have to go out there, operate, and do your job."
Watson completed 15-of-25 passes for 179 yards in the game.
