Former Florida defensive tackle Desmond Watson, a 6ft 6in, 464lb prospect, is signing with his hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.
Watson, who grew up in Plant City about 20 miles east of Tampa, announced the move on social media. He had been hoping to get selected in the later rounds of the draft on Saturday, where he would have become the heaviest pick in NFL history. But no team gambled on the run-stopper.
The Bucs, though, took a chance by signing him after the draft ended. He will get $50,000 guaranteed, the Athletic reported, including a $20,000 signing bonus.
Watson impressed NFL scouts last month by repping 225lb 36 times, which topped any bench-press performance at this year’s combine. He covered the 40-yard dash in 5.93 seconds and recorded 25 inches in the vertical jump.
He looked winded during position drills, but his size and strength stood out during perhaps the most important day in his professional journey.
“Dez, obviously, he’s a unicorn,” Gators coach Billy Napier said. “You’ll go the rest of your career and you’ll never be around a guy that’s that stature. And then you get to know Dez. He’s extremely intelligent. He’s got a great sense of humor. He was a great teammate. He’ll get his shot, and I’m hoping he’ll make the most of it.”
Watson stepping on the scale was as eye-popping as his bench press. He was listed at 449lb last season, up from 415lb as a sophomore. He’s had to manage his weight since he first stepped foot on campus in 2021, when then-Florida coach Dan Mullen called him “a 385lb athlete.”
While some may fear his size will lead to an increased risk of injury, Watson never missed a game in his four seasons in Gainesville. His highlights, though, are few and far between. He rag-dolled South Florida running back Brian Battie in 2022 and ripped the ball out of South Carolina running back Jaheim Bell’s hands for a forced fumble and a fumble return later that year.
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Watson finished his collegiate career with 63 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He also carried the ball for a one-yard gain and lined up at fullback for a few more plays against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl in December.
