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Could this Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive lineman be the answer to stopping the Philadelphia Eagles’ dreaded “tush push” play?
Desmond Watson would’ve made NFL Draft history as the heaviest player ever to be taken at 464 pounds with a 6-foot-6 frame, but the Bucs quickly added him as one of their 15 undrafted free agent signings.
He’s been coined “the tush push terminator” due to his ability to stuff the line of scrimmage, and he was a sight to see at the team’s rookie minicamp.
Watson has already been cutting weight as he tries to make the Bucs’ roster, coming in at 437 pounds for minicamp.
Before the draft, Watson discussed his understanding that he would need to cut weight to realize his NFL dream.
He said stopping to eat while driving has been a main reason why he gained so much weight during his time with the Florida Gators.
“Stopping while driving,” Watson said when asked about bad habits he’s tried to shed at his pro day. “My biggest thing is keep going, get to where I need to get. There are stores and a lot of temptations. That’s helped me immensely: Don’t go inside the gas station. Pay at the pump. Because inside, it’s snacks and all types of things like that. Don’t pull over. If you’re on the highway, stay on the highway until you get where you’ve got to go.”
The heaviest player in the NFL last season was Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Daniel Faalele at 6-foot-8 and 380 pounds. And while there is no official record for the heaviest player in the NFL, many agree it was former Chicago Bears tackle Aaron Gibson, who weighed 410 pounds during his career from 1999-2004.
Watson said he’s trying to eat better, especially when it comes to snacking. It’s been peanuts and almonds recently, and his main meals have changed as well.
If Watson were to make the Bucs’ roster, they would have quite the formidable defensive interior, especially with his role model, Vita Vea, doing what the rookie hopes to in the NFL.
At 347 pounds, Vea’s athleticism is a sight to behold on game day, as he swallows up quarterbacks and running backs alike with his ability to penetrate into the backfield at nose tackle.
Watson doesn’t possess Vea’s athleticism, but he can move for his size. He also would’ve set the NFL Combine bench press record if he were present, as he repped 225 pounds 36 times at Florida’s pro day.
And considering the tush push – NFL owners are expected to discuss a potential ban on it later this offseason – having a duo like that in the interior could be the antidote for defenses stopping the short-yardage play that teams are trying to replicate from the Eagles.
Watson is also hoping to play for the team he grew up near, as he’s from Plant City, which is east of Tampa.
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