Desmond Watson (born 2002/2003)[1] is an American football defensive tackle for the Florida Gators. From Armwood High School, Watson is known for his size, standing at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and weighing over 400 pounds (200 kg). One of the largest players in NCAA Division I football history, he has played for Florida since the 2021 season and was a starter in 2022.
| Florida Gators – No. 21 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive tackle |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | 2002 or 2003 (age 20–21) Plant City, Florida, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight | 449 lb (204 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | Florida (2021–present) |
| High school | Armwood (FL) |
| |
Early life
editBorn in Plant City, Florida, Watson is one of six children and was the lightest at birth.[2][3] He quickly increased in size and by the time he was in pee-wee youth football leagues he was already a "giant", according to The Naples Daily News.[3] He attended Armwood High School in Seffner, playing football and participating in shot put.[4] By his junior year, he weighed 375 pounds (170 kg), a number heavier than every defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) at the time.[5]
Watson played 13 games as a junior in 2019, totaling 65 tackles, 34 of which were for a loss, as well as 10.0 sacks, helping Armwood compile a record of 12–2 and make a deep run in the state playoffs.[6] He was named a second-team all-state selection for his performance.[7] As a senior, he played eight games, posting 39 tackles and 6.0 sacks.[8] Watson finished his time at Armwood with 158 total tackles, including 113 solo stops, 24.0 sacks and nine quarterback hurries.[8][9] A four-star recruit, he received offers to play college football from several major schools, including Alabama, Florida State, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee, eventually choosing to commit to play for the Florida Gators.[6][1]
College career
editWhen Watson enrolled at Florida in 2021, he weighed 440 pounds (200 kg).[6] He was able to lower his weight to 400 pounds (180 kg) to begin his freshman season.[6] He appeared in all 13 games on the year, seeing action on special teams and as a reserve defensive lineman, thus becoming one of the largest players in NCAA Division I football history.[3][10] He played a total of 150 snaps and saw defensive action in eight games, recording seven tackles and a half-sack.[10] Between his freshman and sophomore seasons, his weight increased to 415 pounds (188 kg).[6]
Watson, a fan favorite, became a starter as a sophomore in 2022, appearing in 13 games, 10 as a starter, and recording 25 tackles and 1.5 TFLs.[10][11] He also forced, recovered, and returned a fumble against South Carolina which became a viral video.[1] Watson entered spring camp in 2023 weighing 449 pounds (204 kg), but has since dropped his weight.[11]
Personal life
editWatson wears number 21 to honor his younger brother, who became disabled after suffering a stroke.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Thompson, Edgar (November 18, 2022). "Get on the Watson wagon". South Florida Sun Sentinel. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Desmond Watson". ESPN.
- ^ a b c d Whitley, David (March 27, 2021). "Florida's big freshman gets into shape for No. 21". The Naples Daily News. p. C1, C4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Desmond Watson". Florida Gators.
- ^ Putnam, Bob (November 8, 2019). "Pair forms wall of woe". Tampa Bay Times. p. C1, C6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Lee, Ainslie (September 17, 2022). "Desmond Watson has been a quite massive force inside for the Florida Gators defense. Here are three things to know". Gatorsports.
- ^ Brockway, Kevin (September 23, 2022). "Desmond Watson now recognized for his size and hard work: He's set to start for Florida". Gatorsports.
- ^ a b "Desmond Watson's (Seffner, FL) Armwood High School Football Stats". MaxPreps.
- ^ Harvey, Demetrius (May 22, 2021). "Five Play Prospect: Florida Gators DT Desmond Watson". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ a b c Goodall, Zach (December 13, 2021). "Desmond Watson Discusses Year One, Goals With Gators and Coaching Changes". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ a b Hall, Graham (April 12, 2023). "Avoiding complacency the key for Desmond Watson to further improve conditioning". 247Sports.
