© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / © Matt Pendleton / USA TODAY NETWORK
The NFL Draft has come and gone allowing for new players to get familiar with their new teams. A pair of future Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookies couldn’t be more different in terms of size and stature.
The duo made NFL history in their own regards based on their respective weights. There is a more than 300-pound difference between the two!
The Bucs selected Tez Johnson out of Oregon with a seventh-round selection on Sunday. The wide receiver was uber-productive across five seasons of college football.
He initially signed with Troy where he posted 141 catches for 1,809 yards from 2020-22. His output only grew as he moved up to the Power 4 level.
In two seasons with Oregon, Johnson racked up more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns while helping the Ducks win 25 games. His performance earned him a fourth-round grade from Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
Unfortunately, his stock slipped a bit on draft night. He fell to pick No. 235, partly due to his size. Johnson is 5-foot-10 and tips the scales at 154 pounds. He might be the lightest player to ever drafted. Still, he could be a draft steal if Tampa Bay can find a way to implement him successfully into the offense.
@bucsnfl Safe to say that Tez Johnson makes the most of his opportunities 🔥 #highlights #touchdown #collegefootball #nfl #nfldraft #buccaneers ♬ original sound – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After wrapping up the draft weekend, the Bucs went in the complete opposite direction on the undrafted free agent market.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Desmond Watson out of Florida.
Watson played four seasons as the anchor of the Gators‘ defensive line. The tackle tallied 63 takedowns and 1.5 sacks over the course of his career.
The big man previously made waves on the Florida campus. He weighed 400 pounds as a freshman, a number that’s grown every year since.
Watson is now the heaviest player in NFL history. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 464 pounds(!) making the No. 21 on his jersey look miniscule.
@yahoosports The 6-foot-5, 464-pound defensive lineman signs with his hometown team after going undrafted 💪 #nfl #nfldraft #buccaneers #tampabaybuccaneers ♬ original sound – Yahoo Sports
Watson is not only big, but strong and athletic. He showed off impressive footwork while battling opposing offensive linemen. He also displayed the ability to toss running backs like ragdolls when getting into the backfield.
He benches 520 pounds and can squat upwards of 700! He ran a sub six-second 40-yard dash at his Florida Pro Day. There are not many humans on the planet that possess those traits at that size.
@nfloncbs The Bucs have landed the “Tush Push Terminator” #nfldraft #nfltiktok #nfl ♬ original sound – ʟᴀᴜʀ 🪐
“I was just going in trying to surprise people, because they don’t expect me to be able to move around at my size,” he said after that performance. Still, he insists that he’ll shed a few pounds before making his NFL debut.
The two players boast an eye-popping difference of 310 pounds based on those recorded weights. That’s two Tez Johnsons! Soon, they’ll become new teammates in the Sunshine State.
It will be interesting to see how each is used by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moving forward. If both can make the roster, it would provide an incredible visual for NFL viewers.