“Dez, obviously, he’s a unicorn. You’ll go the rest of your career, and you’ll never be around a guy that’s that stature,” shared Florida Gators coach Billy Napier, clearly rooting for his star defensive tackle to make his NFL debut this year. Until recently, Desmond Watson wasn’t exactly topping draft boards. In fact, he did not even get an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. But the young footballer seems to have flipped the script with an impressive Pro Day workout.

Recently, Desmond appeared on NIGHTCAP with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, opening up about his journey, his goals, and what he brings to the table. And somewhere in that fun, laid-back conversation, Cincy’s name casually popped up. So why should Bengals owner Mike Brown have his eyes on the 464-pound defensive tackle?

“What do you think it is about you and your game that separates you from everybody else? And why should a team want you over any other defensive tackle?” Chad Johnson tossed the big question to Desmond Watson during their chat on NIGHTCAP. Watson – who could go down as the heaviest player ever drafted if he maintains his 464-pound frame, didn’t flinch. He responded with quiet confidence and a clear understanding of his value. “I feel like I’m the best run stopper there is,” he said. “Even without size, I think I’ve got great technique. I pride myself on being the smartest on the D-line, or at least knowing the offense and defense we’re going up against. That’s the biggest thing.”

Desmond’s not just heavy,  he also stands at 6-foot-6, making him an absolute giant on the field. On Thursday, the Florida Gators defensive star bench-pressed 225 pounds 36 times at his Pro Day. Interestingly, that number is more than what any player managed at this year’s Combine. The young footballer also ran the 40-yard dash in 5.93 seconds, which is quite impressive for someone his size. On top of that, Desmond showed off a 25-inch vertical leap.

Now, spilling the tea on how Cincy’s name got in the mix, it happened when Chad casually tossed a two-part question at Desmond during their chat.

Desmond Watson reacts to Bengals pitch from Ochocinco

“There’s currently no guarantee he’ll be drafted,” writes Mike Florio. But with Desmond Watson’s recent Pro Day performance, that might not be true. The Florida Gators star has shown he’s got everything a team could ask for. “The fact that Watson wasn’t on the Combine list doesn’t mean he won’t be drafted. But he was overlooked for Indy, even though he’s hard to miss,” Florio adds.

Before jumping into the question about why teams should draft him, host Chad cheekily brought up the Bengals, saying he wasn’t trying to tamper, just “throwing a little birdie out there.” He asked Desmond if he’d ever been to Cincinnati and whether he’d be open to rocking the Stripes. Johnson also playfully hinted at his connections with the Bengals. 

The Florida Gators DT, with his signature Southern charm, admitted that he’s never been to Cincinnati. “I’m from down South,” he said. “I ain’t really been too far unless we traveled up there.” But that doesn’t mean Watson isn’t open to the opportunity of playing for Cincy. ‘I don’t care who it is, if anybody’s trying to put me in a jersey… well,” Desmond said. That’s when Chad quickly chimed in, adding, “I’m telling you, you’d look good in Stripes.“

Even though the Combine didn’t invite him, Watson has built a strong case for himself. “If the scouts decide he’ll be hard to block, he’ll end up getting that chance, either as a draft pick or an undrafted free agent,” writes Mike Florio. So, we’ll see by the end of April whether Watson hears his name called on draft night or if the DT takes the undrafted free agent route.