Signing Day Capsule: Four-star defensive tackle Desmond Watson
Checking in
Name: Desmond Watson
Class: 2021
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 350 pounds
Location/School: Seffner (Fla.) Armwood
Rivals Ranking: 17th-ranked defensive tackle | 54th-ranked senior in the state of Florida
Committed to: Florida Gators
Why Watson picked the Gators
"They have everything I need to be successful. They have) great coaches, the right defense, and the right tools to develop me to be drafted.
"It's the history, and it looks like they're getting back to that, like the Tim Tebow days. Coach Mullen, he's switching it around and getting it back to where it used to be. I feel like they're going to be competing for a national title in the future."
Film Room
Watson is a mammoth in the trenches who does a great job of overwhelming the opposition and making full use of his frame. He also has freaky athleticism for some of his stature and isn't anywhere near his ceiling as a player. Once Watson starts to take part in Nick Savage's strength and conditioning program, watch out.
You also have to take notice of Watson's motor. He rarely takes plays off and does a good job of pumping his legs and driving through contact. He is typically too much to handle when leaning on opponents and utilizing a bull-rush, especially in one-on-one situations. Watson can be more consistent with firing off the ball, but still does a decent job there and plays with fairly good pad level as well.
As I noted above, Watson possesses a rare blend of size, power and athleticism. In fact, he might have the highest ceiling among the current defensive line commits and is just scratching the surface of what he can become.
In addition to overpowering opponents, Watson shows reliable swim and rip moves. He plays with good momentum once firing off the ball, and then does a nice job of dipping his shoulder and getting underneath opponents for someone his size. He shows good awareness behind the line of scrimmage as well. Watson has active hands to disengage off blocks and processes things fairly quickly.
In terms of improvement, there are times Watson doesn't wrap up and just yanks down defenders. That's something he can get away with in high school, but college running backs will be much stronger compared to what he faces in school. However, there is no doubting Watson's sheer power. He is a load to deal with inside and consistently shows the ability to blow up plays before they develop.
Watson has to shed some weight and tighten up his frame, but if there is one strength and conditioning coach who can do wonders in that department, it's Nick Savage.
The Sunshine State native is already an intriguing athlete for someone who tips the scales at 6-foot-5, 350-plus, but he will be even more light-footed and agile following several months in Gainesville. Watson fits Todd Grantham's scheme like a glove and will have the opportunity to wreak havoc over the center.
Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.