The Bay Area in Northern California has two football franchises in the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers and while the team in San Francisco has been much more successful in recent years than their neighbors in Oakland, one thing in common for both is the expected contributions of two British players in 2013, in second round draft pick Menelik Watson and undrafted free agent Lawrence Okoye.
According to Sky Sports, Watson hails from Manchester and is one of a number of players coming into the NFL from Great Britain, joining Okoye as well as Jack Crawford, who was with the Raiders earlier and was born in London. Watson spoke to the British sports website about being drafted into the second round and what it's like to join other players from across the Atlantic in the NFL, which has been a big boost for the league as they try to make more of a foothold in England with playing regular season games in Wembley Stadium.
Watson was selected by general manager Reggie McKenzie in the second round and he will be expected to challenge for a starting job in training camp once he signs his rookie deal. Watson was in camp earlier in the offseason with the Raiders and he will be joined by Okoye in the Bay Area, as he was signed as an undrafted free agent by head coach Jim Harbaugh. Watson came from a tough background and his improbable rise to the NFL he has been able to appreciate his humble beginnings. The 24-year-old was taken with the 42nd pick in the draft as the highest-drafted player ever from Britain and he only started playing the sport in 2011, meaning he has had a quick time to adjust to American football.
The Raiders are expecting to be an improved team in 2013 after bringing in a number of free agents and while Watson has not been able to work much with veteran Charles Woodson, but he said the addition of the former Oakland star has been a positive influence on the team. Woodson was brought in with a solid free agent crop by McKenzie with Tracy Porter, Mike Jenkins, Nick Roach and Kevin Burnett and all that adds depth and talent to a defense that ranked 20th and 18th in rushing and passing yards allowed per game last season.
The Raiders went 4-12 last season while the 49ers went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Baltimore Ravens and now the two teams have some shared heritage with their young British stars. Watson and Okoye took a flight to California together and while they haven't been able to see each other much since then, the two have a shared connection and friendship while trying to adjust to the NFL. Watson said that he spoke to Okoye on the phone during OTA workouts and that he hopes they can link up again at some point.
Watson said that he likes the weather in Oakland compared to Manchester and that he has been losing up on carbs and protein with chicken and beef. Okoye was an Olympic competitor before turning his skills to the NFL and he is glad he has another compatriot in the area. Both teams are expecting to make the playoffs this season and while the Raiders have more ground to make up, Watson feels that the team is ready to take the next step after making a number of good moves in the offseason.
