Wide receiver Austin Watkins already has played a football season this year with the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions. He wants to play another with the Cleveland Browns.

On Thursday night, Watkins had seven receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown as the Browns and Philadelphia Eagles tied 18-18 in an NFL preseason game.

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The NFL does not play overtime in the preseason.

Cleveland kicker Cade York missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt wide right with 1:56 to play, then got another chance because of a Philadelphia penalty on the kick and missed that one wide left from 41 yards.

In 2019, Watkins became the third UAB player with 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He had stops with the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL without playing in a regular-season game, as well as the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL and the Tampa Bay Bandits and Memphis Showboats of the USFL before playing for the Stallions’ USFL championship team this year.

The Browns signed Watkins last month just in time for him to report for the start of training camp. Since then, he had the winning touchdown reception against the New York Jets in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 3 and led Cleveland with six receptions for 71 yards in last week’s preseason loss to the Washington Commanders.

Watkins’ receptions on Thursday night included a third-and-7 catch that he turned into a 32-yard touchdown as the Browns took a 15-10 lead with 5:17 left in the third quarter.

“He did a nice job,” Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said. “With those receivers, it’s ‘Can you get open?’ and then ‘Can you go make a play when the ball’s in the air?’ And I think he did both tonight, so I was really pleased with his effort. The kid’s very competitive.”

In addition to Watkins, Cleveland and Philadelphia had 24 other players from Alabama high schools and colleges on their rosters for Thursday night’s game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia:

· Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) did not play. During the two teams’ joint practices on Monday and Tuesday, Blankenship intercepted Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson three times.

· Eagles cornerback James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) did not play.

· Browns linebacker Cam Bright (Park Crossing) made two tackles.

· Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (Alabama) did not play.

· Zach Cunningham (Pinson Valley) started at linebacker for the Eagles. Cunningham tied for the team lead with seven tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Mohamoud Diabate (Auburn High) started at linebacker for the Browns. An undrafted rookie, Diabate led Cleveland with seven tackles on defense, including one behind the line of scrimmage, and had another tackle on special teams. Diabate scored the game’s first points when he tackled Philadelphia running back Kenneth Gainwell in the end zone for a safety with 8:51 left in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Diabate forced a fumble that the Browns recovered on the Eagles 45-yard line to set up a field goal.

· Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama) did not play.

· Jack Driscoll (Auburn) started at left offensive tackle for the Eagles.

· Browns running back Jerome Ford (Alabama) did not play. Ford is out with a hip injury.

· Browns tight end Miller Forristall (Alabama) had a 9-yard reception.

· Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama) did not play.

· Josh Jobe (Alabama) started at cornerback for the Eagles.

· Eagles linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville) made five tackles.

· Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks (Alabama) made one tackle and broke up one pass.

· Anthony Schwartz (Auburn) started at wide receiver for the Browns. Schwartz caught four passes for 33 yards and had a rushing attempt that lost 5 yards.

· Eagles punter Arryn Siposs (Auburn) did not play.

· Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Alabama) did not play.

· Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith (Greenville) did not play.

· Tyler Steen (Alabama) started at right tackle for the Eagles.

· Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama) did not play.

· Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins (Athens) did not play.

· Browns wide receiver Jalen Wayne (Spanish Fort, South Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (Alabama) did not play.

· Browns defensive end Alex Wright (Elba, UAB) did not play. Wright had arthroscopic knee surgery last week after getting hurt at practice.

RELATED: NFL PRESEASON WEEK 2: SCHEDULE, TV, ODDS

Cleveland opened the preseason with a 21-16 victory over the Jets in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 3, lost 17-15 to the Commanders on Friday and will conclude its preseason slate by visiting the Kansas City Chiefs at noon CDT Aug. 26.

Philadelphia lost its preseason opener 20-19 to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and will conclude its preseason schedule with a home game against the Indianapolis Colts at 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.