PHILADELPHIA – Junior wide receiver Justin Watson earned a pair of All-American honors after another standout season for the University of Pennsylvania football team.

Watson became a two-time All-American with his selection as a second-team STATS FCS All-American. Last year, Watson was a third-team STATS FCS All-American. In addition, Watson was named a second-team All-American by CollegeSportsMadness.com.

For the second consecutive season, Justin Watson led the Ivy League in receptions (89), yards (1,115) and touchdowns (8) en route to his second straight unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection. For good measure, he led the Ivy League in all-purpose yards with 1,248. One of 25 finalists for the Walter Payton Award as FCS National Offensive Player of the Year, Watson set new Penn single-season records in both receptions and yards.

Among the nation’s elite receivers, Watson ranked No. 3 in the FCS in receptions-per-game (8.9), No. 5 in yards-per-game (111.5) and No. 8 in total receiving yards – despite playing one game fewer than five of the WRs ranked ahead of him.

Just a junior, Watson already ranks No. 2 all-time at Penn in receiving yards (2,694), No. 2 in receptions (205), and No. 4 in receiving TDs (19). On the Ivy League’s all-time records lists, he is No. 9 all-time in receiving yards and No. 12 all-time in receptions. Watson had six 100+ yard games this season, and his 13 career 100+ yard games are tied for third all-time by an Ivy Leaguer. No Ivy player has had 13 100+ yard games over a two-year span before Watson did so over the past two seasons. Watson is the first Penn wide receiver to earn back-to-back first-team All-Ivy nods since Dan Castles in 2003-04.

Justin Watson’s 6.83 catches-per-game over his career ranks No. 2 among active players – trailing only Eastern Washington’s four-time first-team All-American Cooper Kupp. He ranks No. 8 among all active players across all divisions of NCAA football. In terms of receiving yards-per-game, Watson ranks No. 3 among active FCS players with 89.8 and is No. 12 across all divisions.

Watson currently ranks No. 14 among active FCS players in receptions and No. 4 among players who will return next season. He also ranks No. 16 among active FCS wide receivers in receiving yards and No. 4 among player who will return for 2017. 

Twice a runner-up for the Ivy League’s Offensive Player of the Year Award, Watson has excelled off the field as well. A 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, Watson has twice been named Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year.