From basketball and boxing to rugby and football, size can be a plus (pun intended) in sports. In the case of Desmond Watson, the 437-pound monster out of Florida, his size alone proved to be enough to prolong his football career.
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Had Desmond been selected at any point in the 2025 NFL Draft, he would have broken the record for being the heaviest rookie to ever be drafted to the NFL. Since he was temporarily in limbo as an undrafted free agent before signing a developmental deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, scouts and general managers alike evidently had no interest in breaking that record.
For all of the motion that his weight has helped him generate in the past several months, the 22-year-old admitted to the presence of a mix of pros and cons that comes with his ginormous figure.
“It’s put me in a lot of places to gain notoriety, being able to be recognized by fans and things like that, so it has its pros and cons,” Watson told TMZ in an interview.
“At the same time, I’m trying to drop weight to help reach that full potential… I have a lot of weight to lose and still be big… It’s hard to move a person that big, but at the same time, I could be a lot quicker,” he added.
Watson has already lost 27 pounds in the past several weeks, dropping his total weight from 464 to 437 pounds. The upstart prospect appears to be moving in the right direction. On the off chance that his weight-loss journey leads him onto the field during the midst of the 2025 regular season, the former Gator would do well to begin recording a list of would-be victims.
In response to being asked which quarterback he would like to sack the most, Watson explained that he isn’t necessarily a picky eater. However, the 2024 MVP runner-up, Lamar Jackson, did cross his mind.
“Growing up, I always wanted to sack whoever the biggest quarterback at the time was… It could be somebody fast, like Kyler Murray or Lamar Jackson, cause everybody says, ‘Oh, he wouldn’t be able to get those guys with how big he is’. Those would probably be the most satisfying,” said Watson.
Considering that Jackson features a 40-yard dash time of 4.34 seconds, a sack from Watson certainly would be a sight to behold. Throw in the fact that there’s a 220+ pound difference between the two, here’s to hoping that Jackson can keep his head on a swivel.
And, even though he didn’t hear his name called at the NFL Draft, Watson was able to secure a modest contract with the Buccaneers.
Watson details plans for rookie contract
With only $50,000 guaranteed in his rookie contract, Watson doesn’t have any plans of making a large purchase in the foreseeable future.
“Save it. I don’t have any plans to spend anything. I’m at home, so I don’t have to find a new place to live. I can stay at mom’s house, if that’s needed, so I don’t really have any plans as of right now,” said Watson.
Financial literacy isn’t an inherently common trait among NFL rookies, making Watson’s level of self-awareness a pleasant surprise. While the figures of his UDFA deal may not jump off the page, the three-year nature of the deal should prove to be more beneficial to him than anything else.
It will ensure Watson a place to build upon both his skills and fitness, with hopes of there being better days ahead.
