Students at Wisconsin likely won't be skipping their graduation ceremony this May. The Texans star defensive lineman J.J. Watt will be the commencement speaker for the University of Wisconsin-Madison 2019 spring graduating class, the school announced on Wednesday.
"We are so excited to invite J.J. Watt back to Camp Randall," senior class president Ronald Steinhoff said in the university's announcement. "His ability to lead, on and off the field, made him an easy choice. We can't wait to hear how J.J. Watt will send graduates out into a world that needs more Badgers who give back, just as he did."
The Pewaukee native transferred to Wisconsin from Central Michigan in 2008. After a redshirt year, Watt started all 26 games during his two seasons (2009-10) and finished with 11.5 sacks before earning a consensus All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection. Watt established his charitable foundation as an undergraduate at Wisconsin. Last year, Watt raised over $37 million for his Hurricane Harvey relief fund and was named the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Despite an illustrious collegiate career and coming off his fifth AP First-Team All-Pro season, the three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year did have a small request for the Badgers.
"I'm not sure if the people organizing this know that I haven't graduated yet, so I'm just saying if a diploma happened to slide my way, I wouldn't be too upset," Watt said. "But I'm so excited to see everybody. I can't wait to get back up to Camp Randall and see you all so congratulations and we'll see you soon. On Wisconsin!"
The eight-year veteran defensive end does have an honorary doctorate, one he received from Baylor College of Medicine last year for his charitable work. The UW-Madison graduation ceremony takes place Saturday, May 11 at Camp Randall Stadium.
Check out the best shots of DE J.J. Watt from the 2018 season.
An image of the Dec. 2, 2018 regular season home game against the Cleveland Browns. The Texans won 29-13.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Jan. 5, 2019 Wildcard game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans lost 7-21.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
A July 28, 2018 image of Texans Training Camp practice three at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 9, 2018 regular season home game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans lost 21-24.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Jan. 5, 2019 Wildcard game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans lost 7-21.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 16, 2018 regular season away game against the New York Jets. The Texans won 29-22.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Nov. 26, 2018 home game against the Tennessee Titans. The Texans won 34-17.
An image from the Dec. 23, 2018 regular season away game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Texans lost 30-32.
An image from the Dec. 23, 2018 regular season away game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Texans lost 30-32.
An image from the Dec. 30, 2018 regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-3.
An image from the Dec. 16, 2018 regular season away game against the New York Jets. The Texans won 29-22.
An image from the Dec. 16, 2018 regular season away game against the New York Jets. The Texans won 29-22.
An image from the Nov. 18, 2018 regular season away game against the Washington Redskins. The Texans won 23-21.
An image from the Dec. 23, 2018 regular season away game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Texans lost 30-32.
An image from the Dec. 23, 2018 regular season away game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Texans lost 30-32.
An image from the Dec. 16, 2018 regular season away game against the New York Jets. The Texans won 29-22.
An image from the Dec. 9, 2018 regular season home game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans lost 21-24.
An image of the Dec. 2, 2018 regular season home game against the Cleveland Browns. The Texans won 29-13.
An image from the Oct. 21, 2018 regular season away game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-7.
An image of the Dec. 2, 2018 regular season home game against the Cleveland Browns. The Texans won 29-13.
An image of the Dec. 2, 2018 regular season home game against the Cleveland Browns. The Texans won 29-13.
An image from the Oct. 21, 2018 regular season away game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans won 20-7.
An image of the Dec. 2, 2018 regular season home game against the Cleveland Browns. The Texans won 29-13.
An image from the Sept. 30, 2018 regular season away game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans won 37-34 in overtime.
An image from the Oct. 14, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans won 20-13.
An image from the Nov. 18, 2018 regular season away game against the Washington Redskins. The Texans won 23-21.
An image from the Nov. 18, 2018 regular season away game against the Washington Redskins. The Texans won 23-21.
An image from the Nov. 4, 2018 regular season away game against the Denver Broncos. The Texans won 19-17.
An image from the Oct. 14, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans won 20-13.
An image from the Nov. 18, 2018 regular season away game against the Washington Redskins. The Texans won 23-21.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2018 Week 5 home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans won 19-16.
An image from the Nov. 4, 2018 regular season away game against the Denver Broncos. The Texans won 19-17.
An image from the Oct. 25, 2018 regular season home game against the Miami Dolphins. The Texans won 42-23.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2018 Week 5 home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans won 19-16.
An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Oct. 14, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans won 20-13.
An image from the Oct. 14, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans won 20-13.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2018 Week 5 home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans won 19-16.
An image from the Oct. 14, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans won 20-13.
An image from the Oct. 14, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Texans won 20-13.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Sept. 30, 2018 regular season away game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans won 37-34 in overtime.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2018 Week 5 home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans won 19-16.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2018 Week 5 home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans won 19-16.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2018 Week 5 home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans won 19-16.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
An image from the Sept. 16, 2018 regular season away game against the Tennessee Titans. The Texans lost 17-20.
An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Sept. 16, 2018 regular season away game against the Tennessee Titans. The Texans lost 17-20.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Aug. 25, 2018 Texans preseason away game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Texans lost 20-21.
An image from the Aug. 7, 2018 training camp practice at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
fAn image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.An image from the Sept. 23, 2018 regular season home game against the New York Giants. The Texans lost 22-27.
An image from the Aug. 25, 2018 Texans preseason away game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Texans lost 20-21.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
An image from the Sept. 9, 2018 regular season away game against the New England Patriots. The Texans lost 20-27.
An image from the Aug. 25, 2018 Texans preseason away game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Texans lost 20-21.
An image from the Aug. 25, 2018 Texans preseason away game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Texans lost 20-21.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2018 Texans training camp practice at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
A July 31, 2018 image of training camp practice at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
An Aug. 14, 2018 image of the Houston Texans training camp practice at the Houston Methodist Training Center.
