Making it to the NFL is difficult enough as it is, thriving in the NFL is almost seemingly impossible. Nevertheless, the 464-pound phenom from Florida, Desmond Watson, will attempt to do just that.
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Currently waiting for his big moment at the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Gator joined Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson on the most recent episode of the Nightcap podcast to discuss his ongoing draft process. However, Johnson, a Cincinnati Bengals legend, had other plans in mind while chatting with the stand-out defensive tackle.
In giving his best attempt at a sales pitch, the former wide receiver had a pair of tongue-in-cheek questions for Desmond.
“For one, I want to know, how do you like Cincinnati, have you ever been to Cincinnati? How would you like to be a part of Cincinnati? Now, I’m not trying to tamper with nothing, I’m just throwing a little birdie out there… I talk to management, we need a little help on the defensive line, so I just want to know.”
While the 22-year-old admitted that he had never visited Cincinnati on account of growing up in the south, he certainly seemed delighted by the fact that there was interest in him as a player. Nevertheless, his answer may not have been as direct as Johnson was hoping for.
“I don’t care who it is. If somebody is trying to put me in a jersey, I’m ready for it.”
Despite the answer prompting Johnson’s Hall of Fame co-host to begin chuckling off screen, the former Bengal pressed on, being sure to let Watson know that “You’ll look good in stripes.” Thankfully, Johnson’s disclaimer should save both him and the Bengals from having to deal with any potential tampering allegations.
Desmond Watson announces that he plans on losing weight
While his size certainly helped him to generate a following, Desmond stated that he does plan on losing a bit of weight. The Florida product managed to rep 225 pounds 36 times, more than any other prospect at this year’s NFL Combine.
Considering that he also managed to produce a sub-six second 40-yard dash time, Watson believes he was successful in trying to surprise NFL scouts.
“I was just trying to surprise everybody. I feel like everybody looks at my weight and doesn’t expect me to be able to move around because usually, people my size can’t… I definitely want to lose weight… They’ve got a number set for me that I’ve got to get to… In order for me to be successful in the league and get to the league at that, I’ve got to get to that number.”
If Watson were to remain at his current weight of 464 pounds, he would officially be the heaviest player to ever be selected in the NFL Draft. Given that he’s already been asked to manage his weight, it’s safe to say that NFL scouts have no intentions of breaking that record.
Watson may be keeping that magic number close to the vest, but fans can expect to see a slim-downed version of the former Florida Gator come April 24th.
