Despite the best efforts by some of the NFL’s other teams, the Philadelphia Eagles’ signature play, the Tush Push, remains as legal and unstoppable as ever heading into the 2025 season.
But what if the Tush Push could become even more unstoppable? What if, instead of having Saquon Barkley and AJ Dillon running behind Jalen Hurts as he trucks for an extra yard or two in the trenches, the Eagles added a player like Desmond Warson, the 464-pound nose tackle out of the University of Florida, to become their short yardage specialist on both sides of the ball?
Well, that’s exactly what Dan Graziano of ESPN suggested in a pre-draft intel round-up, noting that the Florida product could become a Tush Push expert.
“This is a completely personal perspective, but the Day 3 marriage of team and player that I’m hoping to see is Florida defensive tackle Desmond Watson to the Eagles. Watson weighs 464 pounds — 80-plus pounds more than the heaviest player in the NFL in 2024,” Graziano wrote.
“He has said he’s working on getting his weight down because he knows that will be his path to staying in the league. But he has incredible strength and agility for his size (36 bench press reps and a 25-inch vertical jump at his pro day). Couldn’t you totally see Philadelphia finding a way to mold him into the kind of player who helps them win Super Bowls? And think about what Watson — who actually had a carry and converted a first down on offense in Florida’s bowl game last season — would bring to the tush push play.”
Now granted, the Eagles already have one of the biggest, most athletic players in the NFL in Jordan Davis, and he’s never actually been given a chance to be a Tush Pusher in Nick Sirianni’s offense. With that being said, Howie Roseman is a U of F graduate and has been unable to bring in many of his fellow alumni to the Eagles over the past few years. If Watson is on the board when the Eagles make their final first selection on Day 3, why not consider Watson for Graziano’s suggested role?
