The Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned heads after the NFL Draft by signing Desmond Watson, a giant defensive tackle from the University of Florida, as an undrafted free agent. Watson wasn’t picked during the draft, but his size alone made him impossible to ignore.
Before the draft, Watson was listed at 464 pounds, but now that he’s officially joined the team, the Bucs say he measures 6-foot-6 and 449 pounds. That makes him the heaviest player in NFL history, a record no one expected to be broken.
Watson is just getting started at Bucs training camp, where he’s working to prove that he’s more than just a big body. According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, the team isn’t giving him a set role yet. Right now, the main goal is to help him drop some weight and get to a healthy size that he can maintain before they decide where he fits on the field.
Though Watson didn’t receive an invitation to the NFL Combine, he made a strong impression at Florida’s Pro Day, showing surprising strength and agility for someone his size.
He’ll now be training alongside Vita Vea, the Bucs’ star defensive tackle, who weighs around 350 pounds and is one of the best at his position. Vea could become a valuable mentor as Watson learns the ropes of the NFL.
Watson’s journey is only just beginning. There’s still a long road ahead, but if he can stay focused, shed some pounds, and continue to develop, he might just carve out a spot in the league.