From Sumter, South Carolina, Watts attended Sumter High School where he played football and basketball, being selected to the Offense–Defense All-American Bowl in football while helping the team win county and region championships.

[1] As a senior, he had 8 1/2 sacks while helping Sumter win ten straight games.

[5] The team's 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, Watts played 10 games while accumulating 39 tackles.

[6] He appeared in 13 games in the 2022 season and posted 49 tackles while leading the team in both tackles-for-loss (10) and sacks (7.0), additionally blocking two kicks and having two forced fumbles.

[12] Watts notably made the Jets' initial 53 man roster out of training camp as a UDFA.