[1] He lettered in football, volleyball, soccer, and track; he was the first athlete in 25 years to accomplish that feat at Helix High.
His teammates included current NFL starters Reggie Bush and Alex Smith; the team won the 2000 San Diego Section Division II CIF Football championship.
He was named Region III Offensive Player of the Year for 2003 and received First Team All-American recognition from JC Gridwire and Junior College Athletic Bureau.
Watkins transferred to Brigham Young University in 2004 and immediately earned a starting position at wide receiver.
His first reception as a Cougar was a spectacular 50-yard catch against double coverage; the play set up a touchdown on BYU's first possession of the game.
Late in the fourth quarter of that game, Watkins made a spectacular 37-yard reception (despite pass interference by the defense); the catch secured a crucial first down for BYU and sealed the Cougars’ 20–17 victory over the Irish.
Watkins gained national media attention with a career best performance against Boise State in the fourth game of the season.
Also, with the departure of star freshman receiver Austin Collie, opposing defenses focused their pass coverage schemes directly at Watkins.
Watkins ended his college career with a strong showing against California in the Las Vegas Bowl: 5 catches for 93 yards and late fourth-quarter touchdown in BYU's 35–28 loss.
His stock declined sharply before the 2006 NFL draft; he was eventually chosen in the seventh round (218th pick overall) by the Arizona Cardinals.