NFL prospect Desmond Watson seeks to become heaviest player drafted in league history

Defensive lineman Desmond Watson showcased his shot skills successful beforehand of scouts astatine the Florida Gators' NFL Pro Day connected Thursday.

Watson, who is listed astatine 464 pounds, is aiming to marque NFL history. If a franchise selects Watson successful adjacent month's draft, helium would go the heaviest subordinate drafted successful league history.

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Florida antiaircraft lineman Desmond Watson performs a drill during the school's NFL shot pro day, Thursday, March 27, 2025, successful Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Watson did not talk with the media aft helium went done immoderate drills successful Gainesville connected Thursday. But Watson's teammates and coaches spoke connected his behalf and praised the NFL Draft imaginable for what helium was capable to execute during his clip with the Gators.

"He moves mode amended than anybody thought helium would astatine his size," chap antiaircraft tackle Joey Slackman said. "I don’t spot wherefore a squad wouldn’t springiness him a chance. He’s a shot subordinate done and through; I would privation that feline connected my team."

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Watson attended this year's NFL Scouting Combine, wherever helium bench-pressed 225 pounds 36 times. He besides completed the 40-yard dash successful 5.93 seconds. Watson's vertical leap reached 25 inches. 

Florida Gators antiaircraft lineman Desmond Watson participates successful a drill during outpouring shot signifier astatine Steve Spurrier Field astatine Ben Hill Griffin Stadium successful Gainesville, Fla., connected April 1, 2023. (Matt Pendleton / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Watson's size and spot stood retired during possibly the astir important time successful his nonrecreational journey.

"Dez, obviously, he’s a unicorn," Florida manager Billy Napier said. "You’ll spell the remainder of your career, and you’ll ne'er beryllium astir a feline that’s that stature. And past you get to cognize Dez. He’s highly intelligent. He’s got a large consciousness of humor. He was a large teammate.

"Obviously showed up successful bully signifier today, truthful he’ll get his shot, and I’m hoping he’ll marque the astir of it."

Watson was listed astatine 449 pounds past season, up from 435 pounds arsenic a inferior and 415 pounds arsenic a sophomore. He’s had to negociate his value since helium archetypal stepped ft connected field successful 2021, erstwhile then-Florida manager Dan Mullen called him "a 385-pound athlete."

Florida antiaircraft lineman Desmond Watson stripped a shot for a fumble betterment against South Carolina connected November 12, 2022. (Doug Engle / USA TODAY NETWORK)

"He’s had galore nutritionists, galore presumption coaches, galore spot coaches, and I deliberation this past twelvemonth we astir apt executed the champion we have," Napier said. "And I thought helium played his champion shot of his career. In general, I deliberation he’s learned a batch astir habit-building, self-discipline.

"Ultimately, the guy’s framework people would bespeak that he’s going to beryllium a huge. That number’s ever going to beryllium beauteous big. He’s 6-foot-6 and conscionable the density, the bony structure. It’s conscionable a large man."

Watson ne'er missed a crippled successful his 4 seasons successful Gainesville. His highlights, though, are fewer and acold between. 

He rag-dolled South Florida moving backmost Brian Battie successful 2022 and ripped the shot retired of South Carolina moving backmost Jaheim Bell’s hands for a forced fumble and a fumble instrumentality aboriginal that year. Watson astir apt would person scored had backmost Spencer Rattler missed an open-field tackle.

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Watson finished his collegiate vocation with 63 tackles and 1.5 sacks. 

Offensive linemen Trent Brown and Daniel Faalele are the heaviest NFL players drafted to date. Both players were 380 pounds.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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