How Arkansas' Jelani Watkins became the latest college football player-turned-track star

Fans of collegiate track and field might feel deja vu after Arkansas sprinter Jelani Watkins swept the 100 and 200 meters at the 2026 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing as the high-point scorer. For the second straight year, a Razorback claimed high-point honors with a sprint sweep, as Watkins followed reigning Bowerman winner Jordan Anthony atop the conference podiums.

As the postseason approaches, comparisons between Watkins and Anthony will intensify. Yet, the latest college football player-turned-Razorback sprinter could separate himself as a leader of Arkansas’ push for a team title sweep.

From football to track

There are plenty of sports fans out there who knew of Jelani Watkins before he ever set foot on the track. He was a four-star football recruit as a wide receiver out of Atascocita High School in Humble, Texas, committing to LSU as the fifth-best athlete in the country , and the fifth-best recruit in the No. 7 overall recruiting class in 2024 .

When the long-awaited EA Sports’ College Football 25 was released on July 19, 2024, Watkins became a fan favorite in the game thanks to his 98 speed rating as a true freshman. The video game is also the first time many compared Watkins to Anthony, as both ranked among the fastest wide receivers in the game with 98 speed.

On the field, Watkins played in just two games as a Tiger, redshirting as a freshman in fall 2024. While it was quiet on the gridiron, Watkins made a name for himself during the track season as a freshman. He finished third in the 100 meters at the 2025 Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

After a successful track debut, Watkins returned to the turf for his second year. He again had a 98 speed rating, this time in CFB26, but only finished with two catches for 21 yards in just three games played during his redshirt freshman season.

Track Speed 🤝 Video Game Speed 🔥💨

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField)

NEW: EA College Football 26 Top 10 Fastest Players💨

Do you agree?👀

— On3 (@On3)

MORE POSTSEASON PREVIEW: How Southern's Alase overcame adversity to post nation-leading time ahead of NCAA postseason

After a lack of playing time during his first two years on the gridiron, Watkins entered . The timing was during the indoor track season, which officially started on November 28. The clock was ticking. Then, on January 12, 2026, , just four days before the Razorbacks hosted their first home indoor meet.

It’s not the first time Arkansas has grabbed a midseason commitment from a former football player. Jordan Anthony joined the Razorbacks in 2024 on January 2. Anthony’s success with the Razorbacks on the track factored in a lot as Watkins landed on Arkansas as his new home.

“[I saw] him do it, go from football to track and still be able to run fast,” Watkins said. “It really was just me coming here and trusting Coach Case and trusting the training.”

Now in new threads, Watkins had no time to waste before getting started with the next step of his track career.

Building up to outdoors

Watkins wasn’t able to make Arkansas' home-opening meet after joining the Razorbacks four days prior. However, the Razorback Invitational two weeks later was a coming-out party for the newest Razorback. Watkins opened with a 60 meter PR of 6.60, tying the third-best time in Arkansas’ decorated program history.

Watkins progressed to No. 2 in Razorback history in both the 60 meters and 200 meters by the Tyson Invitational before grabbing first place in the SEC Indoor Championship 200 meters and second in the 60.

It all led to a pair of personal-best times with a 6.46 60 meters and 20.11 200 meters at the DI indoor championships. Unfortunately for Watkins, it only resulted in a second and third-place finish, respectively, with an individual trophy on the line.

It motivated Watkins and created a chip on his shoulder entering the outdoor season — the same chip that showed itself two months later after Arkansas had a fourth-place finish as he ran the anchor leg in the SEC outdoor championship 4x100 meter relay.

“I don't like to lose. I'm a very competitive person, so every time I go out there, I try to put my best foot forward. Even if it's a 4x1,” Watkins said. “I did that at SECs, and it still didn't work out in our favor, so I just had to take out the rest of my frustration on the 100 and the 200.”

MORE POSTSEASON PREVIEW: How a new facility has Georgia track and field gearing up for championship season

SEC Championship dominance

Watkins’ frustration after the 4x1 resulted in a record-setting day in his individual events. First, he tied Jordan Anthony’s school record from last year (also ran at SEC championships) with a 9.95-second win in the 100 meters. Then, he broke Wallace Spearmon Jr.’s 21-year-old 200 meter school record (2005) with a 19.87-second win in the 200 meters. It’s a performance that caught Watkins off guard.

“Honestly, it was a bit of a surprise. I didn't expect it. I at least expected a 19.9, but a 19.8, that's something... I wasn't thinking that I could achieve this early,” Watkins said. “But, the way I go about meets, I just put my trust in the Lord, and then I just go out there and execute my races and try to put it together the best way I can.”

2026 SEC Outdoor | Men's 200m final

Wind | +0.5
1) 19.87 Jelani Watkins (Ar) [PR, UA record]
2) 19.98 Denzel Simusialela (Ky)
9) 20.79 Dapriest Hogans (Ar)

Watkins breaks UA record of 19.89 by Wallace Spearmon, Jr. in 2005

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC)

Only three other athletes in collegiate history have executed a 200 meter race faster than Watkins at an earlier date than his May 16 race. The two SEC title wins earned him USTFCCCA Co-National Athlete of the Week honors and landed him on the watch list for The Bowerman in the latest update.

RECORD TRACKER: Every track and field record broken in 2026

Watkins’ Athlete of the Week honor is just the second time in program history that a Razorback has been named such, joining 2023 Bowerman winner Jaydon Hibbert. Watkins’ appearance on the watch list matches the same time Anthony made his first appearance last year before he won The Bowerman. That’s a fantastic group to be in.

Moreover, Watkins has matched the reigning Bowerman winner’s 100 meter record, matched his appearance on the watch list for The Bowerman and, as an Arkansas graphic indicates, a torch has been passed among the sprinters.

Jordan Anthony 🤝 Jelani Watkins

Razorback sprinters swept SEC Outdoor 100m & 200m titles in 2025 & 2026 while each claimed high point honors in the conference meet

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC)

Some might get frustrated with all of the comparisons. Watkins is having his own great season after all. However, he’s embracing the comparisons that have come with his success.

“It's all a blessing in disguise because I'm cool with J,” Watkins said. “Comparing us two and seeing what he’s doing right now at the pro level, I see I could be able to do that too. It's really something to not look down upon.”

Of course, for Watkins to keep the comparison going and ultimately surpass Anthony on the Arkansas sprinter totem pole, he’ll need to translate his performance at the upcoming outdoor national championships.

2026 SEC Outdoor | Men's 100m final

Wind | -0.2
1) 9.95 Jelani Watkins (Ar) [PR, equals UA record]
2) 10.03 Traunard Folson (Tn)
3) 10.04 Denzel Simusialela (Ky)

Watkins equals 9.95 set by Jordan Anthony in 2025

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC)

AWARDS: The 2026 Bowerman Watch List for men's and women's NCAA track and field

Getting ready for nationals

Watkins already has a leg up on his football-sprinter counterpart thanks to helping the Razorbacks win the 2026 DI indoor men’s team title — their first since 2023. A conversation with Watkins will leave you with the impression that while he likes his individual accolades, he’s motivated to win another team title, this time outdoors.

It’s been over 20 years since the Razorbacks have lifted an outdoor men’s trophy, a long drought for the program with the most combined track and field team titles in NCAA history. The drought feels even longer considering two runner-up finishes in the last three years, while the women’s team has won three outdoor titles during the last decade.

Watkins doesn’t have the full experience of seeing the close finishes of the past since it’s only his first year in Fayetteville. However, he’s not the only first-year Razorback looking for a title; head coach Doug Case is in his first year leading the team after years as an assistant on the Arkansas staff.

“I told Case coming in that we were gonna get two indoors and two outdoors. We still got that one more to get outdoors, so we just gotta make sure everybody’s healthy and on their Ps and Qs when the time comes, when it counts,” Watkins said.

The two Watkins are referring to are the SEC and Division I titles. The Razorbacks are 3-for-3 so far. That’s been thanks to the on-track performance of Watkins, who, as coach Case says, gets ” but also due to Watkins incorporating himself into the team’s off-track leadership, even in his first year with the program.

“The guys here, we all hold each other accountable. We always tell each other that we gotta go out here and really focus and do what we gotta do and really lock in so we can be able to go out there and really score the points that we need to win,” Watkins said.

To score the points needed to win, Watkins will aim to win the 100 and 200 meters. It’s been four years since Florida’s Joseph Fahnbulleh last swept the sprints in 2022, and it’s only happened eight times in the 21st century.

Watkins' path to becoming No. 9 on the list starts with the NCAA West First Round meet. As he prepares for the high stakes of the NCAA postseason, he’ll get the comfort that’ll come with a first-round meet run on his home track as Arkansas hosts the west region. Watkins won’t have the distractions of travel and can lock in to his focus.

“I’m just really focusing on my plan, my race plans, and continuing to keep that faith in the Lord and just go out there, don't panic, and just stick to what I've been doing,” Watkins said. “I ain't really trying to change nothing. If anything, I'm just trying to fix the little critiques that I need to.”

As recent weeks have shown, a focused Jelani Watkins is a dangerous Jelani Watkins, and his best performance could be yet to come.

TRACK AND FIELD

🔥 B/R:  
🧠 WHAT TO KNOW: Comparing indoor and outdoor seasons | Wind and scoring explained | Greatest venues | Best uniforms

💥HISTORY: Programs with the most titles | Men's champ history | Women's champ history | Bowerman history | How the outdoor championships work