Is Desmond Watson the Biggest Player in College Football? Florida Gators DT Weighs In at 464 Pounds

In today’s pass-heavy age of college football, many defenses are countering with smaller interior defensive linemen, capable of shooting gaps and getting after the quarterback. But that doesn’t mean that large defensive tackles are extinct.

Florida’s Desmond Watson might be the biggest, as the Gators listed the senior at 6’5″ and 464 pounds on their official Spring roster.

Florida DT Desmond Watson Listed at 464 Pounds on 2024 Roster

Watson was a highly-recruiting three-star recruit out of Armwood High School in Seffner, FL, choosing the Gators over offers from Alabama, Georgia, and other southeast powers in 2021.

His big body allowed him to see the field immediately, and he saw action in all 13 games as a freshman. He replicated that consistency in his sophomore and junior seasons and has racked up 43 tackles in his Gator career.

Always one of the largest players on the field, Watson was listed at 380 pounds as a high school recruit, jumping over 400 pounds as a freshman. Former strength and conditioning coach Mark Hocke said Watson played at 415 pounds during his freshman season.

Despite rumors that Watson had shed some excess weight between his sophomore and junior seasons, Watson showed up to fall camp at 439 pounds and played most of that season in the 430-pound range. As is often the case for players of that size, he’s had trouble dropping weight and is now listed at 464 pounds heading into his senior year.

Watson has surprising agility, and his weight hasn’t affected his ability to make an impact on the field. Still, he will likely need to drop some excess weight in the spring and summer.

Is Desmond Watson the Biggest Player in College Football?

Last year, Watson did not hold the title of heaviest player in college football. That designation belonged to TCU offensive lineman Brione Ramsey-Brooks, who weighed in at 455 pounds.

While it’s difficult to tell if Watson will be the heaviest player in college football this year, he and Ramsey-Brooks were the only two players in the sport listed over 400 pounds in 2023.

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Ramsey-Brooks is listed on TCU’s spring roster at 455 pounds, so it’s likely Watson is now the heaviest player in college football.

It remains to be seen if Watson will play at his current weight or if he will work to drop some of the weight, but heading into the spring, he’s the heaviest player in college football.

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