464-Pound Desmond Watson Out-Jumps Auburn Star Johni Broome in Vertical Leap

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a chance on undrafted Florida defensive tackle Desmond Watson after the NFL Draft concluded last month.

The 464-pound Watson is the heaviest NFL player of all time, but is still sneaky athletic.

Desmond Watson Posts Eye-Popping Vertical Leap Despite 464-Pound Frame

Despite being a heavier athlete, that has not stopped Watson from being an athletic freak.

According to Underdog Sports, Watson, who stands at 6’6″, has a higher vertical (25″) than Auburn star forward Johni Broome (24.5″). For context, Broome is four inches taller and over 220 pounds lighter.

Desmond Watson is 6’6″ and weighs 464 pounds.

He logged a higher vertical leap than Johni Broome 😅 pic.twitter.com/ELxZiQfMAJ

— Underdog (@Underdog) May 14, 2025

Watson recorded 63 total tackles in four years with the Gators, along with four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Broome, who will soon be headed to the NBA, was the SEC Player of the Year this year after averaging 18.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game.

With Broome’s popularity and ability, it is fascinating that Watson is the one with the bigger jump.

Watson’s Path to the Buccaneers’ 53-Man Roster Starts in the Trenches

It will be interesting to see if Watson can find a way to make the 53-man roster out of training camp.

Perhaps he can find a way to do it by clogging up lanes in the middle of the trenches. That is how larger defensive tackles such as former Packer B.J. Raji and former Chicago Bear William “The Refrigerator” Perry made their mark on the way to winning a Super Bowl.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles not only knows how to coach defense in the NFL, but he also knows how to coach elite defenses. Remember, he has also coached the likes of great defensive tackles such as Ndamukong Suh, Calais Campbell, and Fletcher Cox. His history coaching that position should be able to help mold Watson into a serviceable player, even if it isn’t with the Bucs in the long run.

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The key for Watson will be if he can find a way to keep his weight in check while also staying in shape in the Tampa Bay heat. If he can do that, he should have a decent shot to make the roster when you consider how big of a role he could play moving forward.

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