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Former Florida DL Desmond Watson lands UDFA deal with Florida franchise
By Paul Harvey
Published:
With the 2025 NFL Draft wrapped up, former Florida stars are still hoping to begin their professional careers with undrafted free-agent contracts. Included in that group is massive defensive lineman Desmond Watson, who was a fan favorite throughout his time in Gainesville.
On Sunday, it was announced that Watson landed an UDFA deal that will keep him in the Sunshine State to begin his career. The deal sends Watson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he will try and land a roster spot.
The deal is a homecoming of sorts for Watson, who played for Armwood High School in nearby Seffner, Florida. The massive defensive lineman was listed at 6-foot-5 and 380 pounds coming out of high school, but he was over 400 pounds when he arrived in Gainesville.
Despite his massive size and his weight fluctuating throughout his career, Watson appeared in 51 career games and recorded 63 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also delivered some memorable moments, including a fumble recovery that went for 8 yards and a 1-yard carry as a fullback in the final game of his Florida career for Billy Napier.
Watson turned heads when he weighed in at 464 pounds — the highest weight of his college career — at Florida’s pro day. Now, we’ll see if he can carve out a role in Tampa Bay to begin his career.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
