During the draft of the NFL 2025, seven former Florida football players found a new house in the professional ranks. After the project, the Buccaneers of Tampa Bay added one of the most breathtaking physical specimens of the recent memory of university football: a four -year contributor with the Florida Gators. Last weekend, the defensive platform Desmond Watson, which was not drafted, signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent.
Watson, listed in 6 feet 6 inches and 464 pounds gargantuan, became a viral name during his stay in Gainesville – both for its revealing size and its surprising mobility. In his post-report analysis for The New York TimesNick Baumgardner summary In Watson as “a house on wheels”, noting that he is “lighter on his feet than his weight suggests”.
Florida Gators Desmond Watson’s defensive line (21). Gainesville Sun
Last season, Watson had 20 plated as an interior line player. He had also defended a pass. Its best season occurred in 2022 when the defensive tackle totaled 25 plated and two TFL. He also added a forced escape, a recovery and a bag during his four -year term with the Gators.
Advertisement
“The biggest man in the NFL 2025 draft class (and one of the older ones we have ever seen),” wrote Baumgardner: “Watson could be an interesting project for Todd Bowles staff if he can stay in good shape.”
Watson will join Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff who granted 22.6 points per game, their worst brand at the time of Todd Bowles. Although the secondary has had trouble, the seven before did well against the rush, ending in the top ten with the least yards and affected on the ground. Watson will compete with Vita Vea and Greg Gaines for representatives of Nose Tackle in 3-4 defense of Tampa.
VEA 2018, Vea won two Pro Bowl’s head nods as one of the biggest defensive plated in the NFL at 6 feet 4 inches and 350 pounds. However, even VEA – one of the largest line players in the 6 -foot 4 inch and 350 pounds – is short compared to the imposing frame of 464 pounds from Watson.
Related: Sec Powerhouse sees an end of the 12 -year -old NFL recovery sequence
