Deshaun Watson says the best part about winning the national championship this past season was the fact it changed so many lives at Clemson University.

“We brought joy to the whole university, the community,” Watson said to ESPN’s Jon Gruden on Gruden’s QB Camp which aired Tuesday night on ESPN2. “No one was giving us respect, even this year and even last year with all the success we had. Now, we take down the king, we get that respect.”

The Tigers earned that respect of course thanks to a 35-31 victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla. Watson led Clemson on a 68-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes, which he capped with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with one second left in the game.

“The night before, before our team meeting, Coach (Dabo) Swinney gave me a pin that said “NO DOUBT.” It had big letters, and he gave it to me and said hey, you’re the best player in the country. Leave no doubt tomorrow night.”

Watson left no doubt alright. The former Tiger threw for a national championship record 420 yards and three scores against Alabama’s No. 1-ranked defense, while also rushing for 43 yards and one more touchdown. He completed 36-of-56 passes with no interceptions in rallying the Tigers from 10 or more points three times in the game.

Early in the game, Watson was taking a beating from the Crimson Tide defense, but he kept getting back up and making plays.

“I’ve been through worse situations before,” Watson told Gruden. “I just have that competitiveness … that energy and that will to fight just to be able to finish the game and win it.”

Watson is using that same energy and determination to get through the draft process. He says the biggest challenge he has had so far came in Gruden’s Camp, when the Super Bowl-winning coach threw so much terminology at him.

“To me the biggest challenge was probably the terminology and the communication,” Watson said. “It tested me, which is what I like. I love the challenges, and I’m always hoping to grow.

“I was good at the collegiate level, but there’s so much more to becoming a professional.”

Watson is now back in Clemson where he trains and works out every day as he gets ready for the NFL Draft, which be held April 27-29 in Philadelphia, Pa. The former Clemson quarterback has worked out for a lot of teams during the process and reportedly met with San Francisco and Arizona this week.