At 6 feet – 6 pounds and 464 pounds, only one stands in the way of Desmond Watson’s NFL dream.
His weight.
Florida’s defensive tackle may be the heaviest player ever selected in next week’s draft, but he’s doing it all with his strength to make sure he isn’t.
“I’m going to stop while driving,” Watson said. I was asked by Fox Sports About what he does to lose weight. “My biggest thing goes on, going where I need to get. There’s a shop and a lot of seduction. It’s been very helpful to me. Don’t go inside the gas station. I’ll pay with the pump. It’s inside and all sorts of things like that.
Hoping to be selected on the third day of the draft, Watson dealt with weight issues throughout his time at Gainesville, which appeared at 385 pounds in 2021.
“It was like my same problem. It’s not a problem, but the same concerns across the university,” Watson told the outlet. “I’m more detailed and I understand better what it takes to succeed at the next level. It was interesting. I learned a lot about myself during this process.”
With that number, Watson will be more than 80 pounds heavier than the loudest player in the NFL last season. Ravens offensive lineman Daniel Farele was listed at 380 pounds.
“It’s definitely difficult,” Watson said. “People have taught me to see it like another addiction. It’s not drugs, but whether it’s a game, drugs, alcohol or not, it’s addictive. I think this is my bad guy. I’m trying to get it. I can do the same thing, just as the drug can kill you. I’m trying to change my life.”
On Florida’s Pro Day in March, Watson benched 225 pounds on the bench, 36 impressive 36 times. This was the best player in the NFL combine this year.
He also completed a 40-yard dash in 5.93 seconds and recorded 25 inches in vertical jumps.
