NFL hopeful Desmond Watson is doing all he can to lose weight and be in the best possible condition for this month’s draft.

The Florida defensive tackle stunned scouts at the school’s pro day last month, leading many to believe he could become the heaviest player ever drafted in Green Bay.

The 6ft 6ins, 464-pound prospect was lauded by teammates and coaches after he benched 225lbs a whopping 36 times.

That topped any bench-press performance at this year’s NFL combine. Watson also covered the 40-yard dash in 5.93s and recorded 25ins in the vertical jump.

But the moment he stepped on the scale was as eye-popping as his bench press. He was listed at 449lbs last season, up from 435 pounds as a junior and 415 pounds as a sophomore. 

The heaviest NFL players ever drafted were 380lbs – offensive linemen Trent Brown (Florida, 2015) and Daniel Faalele (Minnesota, 2022). Watson has them by nearly a hundred pounds.

NFL hopeful Desmond Watson is doing all he can to lose weight before this month’s draft

The 6ft 6ins, 464-pound prospect was lauded by teammates and coaches at their pro day

Read More Giant college football star could smash NFL record after astonishing weight is revealed before draft

Now Watson is looking to get his weight down and lifted the lid on some of the drastic measures he’s been taking to avoid temptation.

‘Stopping while driving,’ he said in an interview with Fox Sports.

‘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.

‘It’s been like my same problem — not problem, but my same concern throughout college.

‘I’m getting more in depth, getting a better grasp of the things I need to do to be successful at the next level. It’s been interesting. I’ve learned a lot about myself in this process.’ 

Watson never missed a game in his four seasons in Gainesville and his size and strength stood out during perhaps the most important day in his professional journey.

But 464 pounds is 20 per cent heavier than the heaviest player in the NFL last season. That was Baltimore Ravens tackle Daniel Faalele, who came in at 6ft 8ins, 380-pounds.

Watson has revealed all the measures he’s taking to ensure he maintains a healthy diet

 Gators coach Billy Napier described him as a ‘unicorn’.

‘You’ll go the rest of your career and you’ll never be around a guy that’s that stature,’ he said. 

‘He’s had numerous nutritionists, position coaches, strength coaches, and I think this past year we probably executed the best we have.

‘Ultimately, the guy’s frame score would indicate that he’s going to be a huge – that number’s always going to be pretty big. He’s 6-foot-6 and just the density, the bone structure. It’s just a big man.’