Desmond Watson DT Florida | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Desmond Watson DT Florida
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/02/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 5.92 seconds (1%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.2 DOB: 01/05/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 04/02/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 5.92 seconds (1%*) | |
| Age: 22.2 DOB: 01/05/2003 | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 78.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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81% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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62% |
| Pass Rush: |
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66% |
| Run Defense: |
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79% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#228
Position rank:
#49
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| College Games: 45 College Snaps: 963 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brodric Martin - Western Kentucky |
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03% |
| Quinton Bohanna - Kentucky |
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03% |
| Tyler Shelvin - LSU |
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03% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Born in Seffner, Florida, Desmond Watson has become one of the most fascinating prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Standing at a mountainous 6'5" and weighing in at a record-breaking 464 pounds, Watson has been turning heads since his high school days at Armwood where he dominated as a disruptive force, racking up 65 tackles and 34 tackles for loss during his junior campaign. A coveted recruit who chose Florida over powerhouse programs like Alabama and Georgia, Watson's physical dimensions alone make him an intriguing evaluation for NFL scouts, but there's more to his game than just his historic size.Throughout his four-year career with the Gators, Watson never missed a single game – a remarkable testament to his durability considering his massive frame. While his statistical production doesn't leap off the page (63 career tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks), Watson's impact often came in ways that didn't translate to the box score. His senior season saw him appear in all 13 games, collecting 20 tackles and showing versatility when utilized as a short-yardage fullback in the Gasparilla Bowl victory over Tulane. Florida head coach Billy Napier noted that Watson played "the best football of his career" during his final collegiate season.
Watson's Pro Day performance showcased surprising athleticism for a man of his dimensions. He posted 36 reps on the bench press (more than any player at this year's Combine), ran a 5.93 40-yard dash, and recorded a 25-inch vertical jump. Despite not receiving an invitation to the NFL Combine, Watson made sure he wouldn't be overlooked by scouts with his eye-opening display of power and surprisingly coordinated movement skills at Florida's Pro Day. If drafted, Watson would become the heaviest NFL draft pick in history, surpassing the previous record of 380 pounds held by Trent Brown and Daniel Faalele.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Immovable object against the run with unmatched size and anchor ability – consistently holds his ground against double teams like he's nailed to the turf.
- Creates natural leverage advantages with his 6'6" frame and overwhelming mass, taking up crucial space in the interior that forces offensive coordinators to adjust their run game approach.
- Shows surprisingly nimble feet for his size, particularly when working laterally along the line of scrimmage to maintain gap integrity.
- Possesses legitimate NFL-caliber power at the point of attack – his 36 bench press reps weren't just for show, that functional strength translates to the field.
- Demonstrates better stamina than expected, appearing in every college game and playing meaningful snaps despite carrying historic weight on his frame.
- Offers positional versatility as a situational offensive weapon in short-yardage packages – successfully converted a crucial third-down carry in the Gasparilla Bowl.
- Shows flashes of disruptive ability when he gets momentum, as evidenced by his strip fumble against South Carolina that nearly resulted in a touchdown return.
- Brings rare size that simply can't be replicated in practice – offensive linemen who face him on Sundays won't have prepared against anyone like him.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited pass rush productivity with only 1.5 career sacks, lacking the explosive first step needed to consistently pressure quarterbacks at the next level.
- Movement efficiency deteriorates noticeably when forced to change direction or redirect in space, struggling to gather himself once momentum builds.
- Weight management concerns persist despite four years of collegiate nutritional programming – has seen his weight increase each season at Florida.
- Lateral quickness deficiencies make him vulnerable against zone blocking schemes where linemen can work angles against his massive frame.
- Will require highly specialized conditioning and rotation patterns at the next level, likely limiting him to a 15-20 snap player in specific packages.
Scouting Report: Summary
Watson projects as one of the most unique developmental prospects in this draft class – a true boom-or-bust selection who brings physical tools that simply don't exist elsewhere. His immediate impact will come as a specialized run-stuffer who can clog interior gaps and occupy multiple blockers, potentially transforming a team's short-yardage and goal-line defense overnight. The team that drafts Watson will need to have a clearly defined role that maximizes his strengths while minimizing his exposure in obvious passing situations.The blueprint for Watson's NFL success exists in players like former Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and Patriots legend Vince Wilfork, albeit with a significantly different body composition. Watson's best fit comes in a defensive system that emphasizes two-gapping techniques where he can control multiple run lanes with his sheer size. Creative defensive coordinators might also explore his potential as a situational offensive weapon, following Florida's lead in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Though Watson remains a developmental project who will likely be selected on Day 3, or even not at all, his unique physical attributes make him worth the investment for teams needing run-stuffing specialists. If he can trim his weight to even the 420-430 range while maintaining his strength, Watson has the potential to become a valuable rotational piece who creates matchup problems few offenses have answers for. In a league where specialization continues to increase, Watson offers a highly specialized skillset you simply can't find anywhere else.
Desmond Watson percentiles vs other Defensive Tackles (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Desmond Watson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
280.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
66.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.