The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made a seismic addition to their roster, signing former Florida Gators defensive tackle Desmond Watson as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. The announcement came via a post from the NFL’s official X account.
Watson, a local product from Plant City, Florida, just 30 miles from Raymond James Stadium, was expected to make history as the heaviest player ever drafted in the NFL. However, concerns about his mobility and stamina saw him go unselected through all seven rounds at Lambeau Field. At Florida’s Pro Day on March 27, 2025, Watson ran a 5.78-second 40-yard dash—one of the slowest times ever recorded for a draft prospect—and weighed in at 464 pounds, up from his 2024 playing weight of 449. Despite the red flags, his strength was undeniable: he put up 36 bench press reps of 225 pounds, outpacing every participant at the 2025 NFL Combine, where Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner led with 34 reps. Gators coach Billy Napier called him a “unicorn,” telling The Gainesville Sun, “You’ll go the rest of your career; you’ll never be around a guy of that stature.”
Over four seasons at Florida, Watson played in 45 games, tallying 68 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks, often serving as a space-eating nose tackle who commanded double teams. His final college game was a poetic one—played at Raymond James Stadium, where he converted a first down as a goal-line running back in a 2024 bowl game against Tulane, a moment Bucs fans on X quickly celebrated. @FlagshipofFlorida wrote, “Big Des playing in the stadium he got to be a running back and converted a first down in his final game as a Gator. The Bucs’ decision to sign Watson appears tailored to address a specific NFL trend: the “Tush Push,” a short-yardage quarterback-sneak play the Philadelphia Eagles have mastered, converting 85% of their attempts since 2023, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Vita Vea, a 2018 first-round pick and perennial Pro Bowler, has been key to Tampa Bay’s success against the play, notably holding the Eagles to 1-of-3 attempts in a 2023 wild-card game. A 2021 New York Times article highlighted Vea’s impact, noting his role in the Bucs’ league-leading rushing defense that year (78.4 yards per game). Now, with Watson’s 464 pounds alongside Vea’s 347, the Bucs’ defensive front tips the scales at a combined 811 pounds, potentially making them the league’s ultimate counter to the Tush Push.
There are concerns regarding his limited pass-rush production (3.5 career sacks) and stamina concerns, as he rarely played more than 20 snaps per game at Florida. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had projected him as a fifth-round pick, but concerns about his weight, which reportedly peaked at 480 pounds during the pre-draft process, led some teams to remove him from their boards entirely.
Watson’s path to the Bucs’ 53-man roster is no guarantee. The defensive line is already loaded with Vea, Calijah Kancey (a 2023 first-rounder with 4 sacks as a rookie), and Logan Hall (a 2022 second-round pick). He’ll need to prove he can handle the NFL’s speed and endurance demands, starting with rookie minicamp in May. Still, Bucs fans are rooting for the hometown kid.
For a team coming off a 9-8 season in 2024 and a third straight NFC South title, Watson is a low-risk, high-reward addition. If he can harness his raw power and improve his conditioning, he could help Tampa Bay’s defense—already 7th in yards allowed last year (334.8 per game)—become even more dominant, potentially turning the tide against the league’s most unstoppable short-yardage play. For now, Watson’s signing is a bold move that has Bucs fans dreaming of a defensive line that could redefine the trenches in 2025.
