SEC football commit arrested and charged with felony

By Zach Vogel February 17, 2018 at 3:02pm

Nathaniel Watson Jr. and Tyrone Davis, seniors at Maplesville High School in Alabama, were arrested Friday in relation to a drag race Feb. 1 that ended in a crash, seriously injuring one of the passengers.

Watson, a multiple-position football star, was charged with “assault first degree, which is a felony, and numerous traffic violations,” according to The Clanton Advertiser.

He had recently committed to play at Mississippi State.

Hailstate!!!🐶🐶 pic.twitter.com/sXiWTNiE0O

— Nathaniel Watson (@Nathaniel_ATH) January 20, 2018

Davis was arrested for “reckless endangerment and numerous traffic violations.”

According to the Maplesville Police Department’s press release, “The accident occurred after Tyrone Davis, also a student at MHS, lined up in front of the school with his vehicle along with Nathaniel Watson’s vehicle for a race, witnesses stated that they lined up side by side and floored it, and both vehicles were squalling their tires and fishtailing up the highway heading into town.”

“As the racing vehicles topped a hill, an oncoming car caused Nathaniel Watson Jr. to swerve and lose control striking a power pole, cutting it in half and knocking power out to portions of Maplesville,” the report said.

Both drivers had passengers with them.

The passenger in Watson’s Chevy Impala, another Maplesville student, was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham for treatment after suffering a “crushed femur, fractured pelvis, his right arm broken and internal injuries.”

In Davis’ Ford Edge was a 12-year-old, the report said.

Mississippi State signee Nathaniel Watson charged with felony following drag race crash #HailState https://t.co/fjVx60jEov pic.twitter.com/1HlNsCpSCq

— SEC Country MS State (@SECCountryMSU) February 17, 2018

The MPD press release added that neither driver was insured.

According to The Advertiser, Watson will be tried at the Chilton County Courthouse.

Court dates have not been set for either Watson or Davis.

“We are aware of the vehicle incident involving signee Nathaniel Watson,” Joe Moorhead, Mississippi State’s head football coach, said in a statement via the Clarion Ledger. “We are continuing to collect details on the accident and have no further comment at this time.”

Watson was rated as the 19th-best player in the state of Alabama for the Class of 2018 by 247 Sports.

A star receiver in high school, he was also recruited by Auburn and Ole Miss before committing to MSU.