Starting at quarterback for Mike Smith ‘s Hampton Crabbers squad has been a dream for 6-1, 185-pound junior David Watford . Recently, he fulfilled another dream when he earned his first official FBS scholarship offer from the University of Virginia.

“It was a surprise,” Watford recalled. “I was at school and the teacher/student basketball game was going on. Coach Smith came over to me and gave me the letter. I opened it and my eyes got big. I showed everybody and they were all happy for me. I was really excited. I’m going to remember it for a long time.”

Watford will be a 3-year starter on the varsity level. As a junior, he threw for 1,538 yards and 16 touchdowns. In the mold of past Hampton standout quarterbacks, Watford, who has run the 100 meters in 10.8 seconds, is a dual threat. He rushed for 480 yards last season.

“I feel like I can throw the ball against any defense,” Watford said when asked what his strengths and weaknesses are. “When a play breaks down, I can keep it alive with my legs. The thing I can improve on most is reading the defense correctly. I always want to work on making good decisions. I’m working on my footwork. You have to make sure your footwork is good.”

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