The rise of the transfer portal in the National Collegiate Athletic Association has created a new reality for programs across the country — a reality that William and Mary football was forced to face head-on this off-season.
After four years in the program, starting junior quarterback Tyler Hughes entered the transfer portal, taking with him 3,000 all-purpose yards and 31 total touchdowns from the 2025 season.
In an attempt to fill the gap left by Hughes’ departure, both on the field and in terms of leadership, the Tribe recruited junior Towson transfer quarterback Winston Watkins.
Watkins plans to take his next steps in his football career in ways he felt were not possible at Towson, where he played in only 11 games across two seasons.
“I was used just for my running ability, but I’m a quarterback who can start at this level and can play,” Watkins said.
Watkins’ desire to prove people wrong and show his full potential as a quarterback originated from his high school recruitment process.
“I wasn’t very heavily recruited out of high school. There [were not] many teams involved in my recruitment,” Watkins said. “Towson was the main college to push for me.”
Despite being under-recruited out of Mount Saint Joseph’s High School in Baltimore, Md., Watkins remained confident that he would ultimately end up at the Division I level.
“I always had high aspirations for myself,” he said. “I have always had the mentality to take it as far as I can.”
Following his decision to leave Towson after two seasons, William and Mary immediately made Watkins a priority for its winter transfer portal activity.
“They were the most in touch and most in contact college when it came to me being in the portal,” Watkins said. “The people definitely played a huge part in my decision to come here.”
Despite only enrolling ahead of the spring semester, Watkins has already felt the community that brought him to William and Mary in the first place.
“Everybody knows each other, it’s very close-knit, everybody is caring for each other,” he said.
Looking to take on a much larger role compared to his time at Towson, Watkins has set his sights on mastering his footwork, as it is important to any successful quarterback.
Watkins understands the role and responsibility that come with being a quarterback for any team, especially the Tribe.
“If you play quarterback, you are thrown into the leadership position whether you like it or not,” he said. “You have to be a person that can step up into that role when everybody is looking to you.”
Watkins also sees his role as a leader extending beyond just the field or the locker room.
“When it comes to being in the community, being in the classroom, it is more than just football when it comes to being a leader,” he said.
Watkins said he is impressed by the talent on the Tribe offense and has prioritized building relationships with his fellow offensive unit. This will be key if the Tribe looks to replicate or even improve upon its offense that ranked No. 4 in the Coastal Athletic Association in 2025 at 29.5 points per game.
“There are a bunch of dudes on this team who can do crazy things with the ball in their hands,” Watkins said. “It has definitely been great continuing to build chemistry and working with them each and every day.”
While Watkins views himself as a good fit for the Tribe’s offense, he has shied away from setting any personal goals for himself, focusing on the team as a whole and the day-to-day journey.
“I feel like a lot of times, you can get caught looking into the future, and you can’t focus on the things you need to work on,” he said.
Throughout his entire football journey — from being ranked No. 1,591 nationally by 247 Sports in the class of 2024 to only attempting six passes during his time at Towson to finally ending up at William and Mary — Watkins has established a determined mindset.
“There are going to be a lot of peaks, a lot of valleys, but when it comes to your demeanor, you have to stay level-headed, you have to stay resilient,” Watkins said.
