During the 2025 NFL Draft, seven former Florida football players found a new home within the professional ranks. Following the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers added one of the most jaw-dropping physical specimens in recent college football memory: a four-year contributor with the Florida Gators. Last weekend, defensive tackle Desmond Watson, who went undrafted, signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent.
Watson, listed at a gargantuan 6-foot-6 and 464 pounds, became a viral name during his time in Gainesville—both for his eye-opening size and surprising mobility. In his post-draft analysis for The New York Times, Nick Baumgardner referred to Watson as “a house on wheels,” noting that he’s “lighter on his feet than his weight suggests.”
Florida Gators defensive lineman Desmond Watson (21).Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun
Last season, Watson had 20 tackles as an interior lineman. He also had one pass defended. His best season came in 2022 when the defensive tackle totaled 25 tackles and two TFLs. He also added one forced fumble, a recovery, and a sack during his four-year tenure with the Gators.
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“The biggest big man in the 2025 NFL Draft class (and one of the biggest we’ve ever seen),” Baumgardner wrote, “Watson could be an interesting project for Todd Bowles’ staff if he can stay in shape.”
Watson will join a Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff that allowed 22.6 points per game, their worst mark in the Todd Bowles era. Although the secondary struggled, the front seven did well against the rush, finishing in the top ten with the fewest rushing yards and touchdowns allowed. Watson will compete with Vita Vea and Greg Gaines for the reps at nose tackle in Tampa’s 3-4 defense.
A 2018 first-round pick, Vea has earned two Pro Bowl nods as one of the bigger defensive tackles in the NFL at 6-foot-4, 350 pounds. However, even Vea—one of the league’s largest linemen at 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds—comes up short compared to Watson’s towering 464-pound frame.
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