Florida Gators star Desmond Watson may be built like a bulldozer, but he certainly doesn’t move like one. When someone of Watson’s size moves, not many expect him to clock a sub-6-second 40-yard dash or to do a 25-inch vertical leap. But that’s exactly what he did.
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The 6’6”, 464-pound defensive tackle stunned the football world at Florida’s Pro Day by clocking a 5.93-second 40-yard dash. However, the Gators DT, who also benched 225 pounds an incredible 36 times, knows there’s still work to be done—specifically, dropping weight.
According to Watson, his weight might be great for the optics and the history books, but when it comes to the NFL, he has to tailor himself to the standards of the team drafting him.
“I still got a process, you know what I mean? I’m definitely gonna lose weight,” Watson told Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe in the latest edition of Nightcap.
“The outlook from my fans and supporters isn’t the same as the scouts. They got a number set for me that I gotta get to. In order to be successful in the league—to get to the league at that—I gotta hit that number.”
As Desmond Watson noted, losing weight isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about longevity. While his sheer mass is part of what makes him unique, getting leaner could mean more snaps, more explosiveness, and an easier time keeping up with the relentless pace of an NFL season.
This sentiment was echoed by Shannon Sharpe, who expressed his doubts about seeing the DT play more than 25-30 snaps a game. Another concern that Sharpe thought scouts would be considering is Watson’s utility on the field.
“They’re looking at you as a first and second-down guy. You stop the run, keep your linebackers clean, but man, I know you’re trying to eat too,” Sharpe joked. “Y’all talking about taking up all these blocks—I need to eat too!”
Desmond Watson first laughed at this perception before acknowledging it. The Gators star, however, reiterated the same solution that he told Ocho—shedding weight and improving endurance. “I gotta feel it,” as he put it.
“I played against Tennessee, which is the fastest offense in the nation, all four years, so that’s not really a worry of mine. But at the same time, I know the lighter I get, the more I can dominate—because that’s the goal.”
When Watson talks about losing weight, he means business. In fact, he’s already shed 30–40 pounds, something he confirmed with Shannon Sharpe.
For now, he remains a one-of-a-kind prospect with immense potential. His Pro Day performance turned heads, and his commitment to losing weight shows his seriousness about making a long-term impact in the NFL. With the draft approaching, one thing is clear: Watson is already defying expectations. And he’s just getting started.
