Ted Watts was drafted No. 21 overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Texas Tech. 74 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 16 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #21
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 74
- Years as starter
- 2
- Career AV
- 1616th at Texas Tech
The pick
How Ted Watts came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Defensive back DB
- College
-
Texas Tech
Big 12 at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
74 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 16 career approximate value
- Games played
- 74
- Seasons as a starter
- 2
- Career approximate value
- 1616th among Texas Tech picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 1488% of career value
- Final season
- 19876 years after the draft
Around pick 21
Who came off the board on either side of Ted Watts.
Stanford · 3× Pro Bowl
Pittsburgh · 1× Pro Bowl
Washington
Other DB picks from Texas Tech
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Ted Watts in the 1981 NFL Draft
Ted Watts is a Defensive back out of Texas Tech selected No. 21 overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 1981 NFL Draft. 74 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 16 career approximate value Texas Tech has produced 89 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Ted Watts drafted?
Ted Watts was selected No. 21 overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/ted-watts.
What college did Ted Watts play for?
Ted Watts played college football at Texas Tech in the Big 12. See every Texas Tech draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/texas-tech-red-raiders.
How did Ted Watts's NFL career turn out?
74 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 16 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/ted-watts.