Douglas Watkins (1934 – 1962) was an American hard bop bassist.

An original member of the Jazz Messengers, he also played in Horace Silver's and Charles Mingus' bands and freelanced with Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Sonny Rollins, and Phil Woods. He recorded only two albums as leader before dying in a car accident.