From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Tennessee EDGE Joshua Josephs.
No. 19 JOSHUA JOSEPHS/EDGE TENNESSEE – 6-3, 242 POUNDS (SENIOR)
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Joshua Josephs 6-3/242 10″ 34 1/4″ N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
DNP DNP DNP DNP
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
DNP DNP DNP
THE GOOD
– Six forced fumbles in final two collegiate years shows an ability to create turnovers
– Shows potential against the run, decent strength at the point of attack
– Solid frame for the position, long arms
– Very athletic player in general
– Extremely quick off the ball
– Closes on the quarterback quickly
– Understands how to set up pass rush moves
– Good arsenal of pass rush moves, not reliant on any single move
– Very quick and explosive in short areas
– Sets the edge consistently against the run
– Good motor, doesn’t slow down as games go on
THE BAD
– Will need more strength to be consistent against the run at the NFL level
– Occasionally gets his head caught in the backfield and will vacate his gap
– Has long arms, but doesn’t get extension often enough against the run
– Bas decent bend, but not especially flexible in his lower body
– Struggles to finish sacks, just 9.5 sacks in four years
– Needs to refine tackling technique
– Tight ends and running backs can take him out of plays with chips
STATS
– Career: 104 combined tackles, 22 TFL, 9.5 sacks, nine passes defended, four fumble recoveries, six forced fumbles
– 2022: 12 tackles, 2.5 TFL, one sack, two passes defended
– 2023: 20 tackles, 4.5 TFL, three sacks, one pass defended
– 2024: 39 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, three passes defended, two fumbles recovered, three forced fumbles
– 2025: 33 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, three passes defended, two fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles
– Returned a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown in 2025
– 48 collegiate games, all at Tennessee
– Finished fourth in SEC in forced fumbles (3) in 2024, and third (3) in 2025
INJURY HISTORY
2025 – Inactive against New Mexico State late in the year. Opted out of Tennessee’s bowl game, but had no injury designation for either
BACKGROUND
– DOB: Dec. 8, 2023 (22-years old)
– Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
– Attended North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, GA
– Rated four-star prospect, top-15 edge rusher in the nation by 247 sports and On3.com
– Committed to Tennessee ahead of 2022 season and spent entire collegiate career there
– Earned bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies
– Models his game after T.J. Watt
– Favorite movie is Kung Fu Panda, favorite artist is YoungBoy Never Broke Again
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Joshua Josephs isn’t the biggest pass rusher, and he’s not going to overwhelm linemen with his power. To be productive, he needs a variety of pass rush moves. Fortunately, that’s exactly what he has.
Josephs is especially good with his hands on first contact. One of his favorite moves is a push-pull, which he times to perfection. Coming off the right edge of the frame here, he latches onto the linemen, gets control, and pulls him forward to get around the edge. His pressure helps collapse the pocket and force an interception.
Sometimes, Josephs doesn’t even need to utilize any pass rush moves. He’s very quick off the ball. His get-off can catch tackles off guard and allow him to sneak around the edge.
Coming off the right side of the frame again, Josephs never gives the tackle a chance. The quarterback does manage to scramble up the middle of the pocket, but Josephs did all he could to blow the play up. Tackles will be more sound at the NFL level, but his explosive get-off isn’t going anywhere.
When you have a get-off like that, and you’re good with your hands, you can be a really dynamic pass rusher. There are times in which Josephs puts that all together, like on this play.
He comes off the right side of the frame here and starts inside, then uses his agility to jump on the tackle’s outside shoulder. He’s way too quick for the tackle and does well to shield his arm off while bouncing around the corner. Josephs gets to the quarterback, brings him down and forces a fumble in the process.
Josephs’ size does limit him a little against the run. While that’s hard to overcome, I am encouraged by the potential he shows in that department. Look at the strength at the point of attack here.
Josephs starts off the edge of the right tackle here, and stunts inside. It’s a little hard to see with the mass of bodies in the middle, but he gives the guard a good jolt and actually throws him off balance. It helps collapse and blow up the play, and Josephs is able to get involved on the tackle.
Josephs can win at the point of attack occasionally, but it’s not especially consistent. And when he doesn’t, he does struggle a little to get separation from linemen.
Here, he’s again off the right edge of the tight end. However, he gets tied up and isn’t able to break free. Once the right tackle gives him a chip, Josephs is taken out of the play.
Josephs is a very quick and aggressive player, and those are things to love in an edge rusher. But he does get a little too carried away at times, especially when it comes to misdirection.
Josephs is off the left edge here. He bits on the misdirection inside and completely vacates his gap. The quarterback keeps the ball and picks up an easy chunk of yards in the space Josephs vacated. It’s not a huge issue, and it doesn’t come up that often on his tape. But he’ll need to refine the focus a little bit in instances like this.
CONCLUSION
It’s very fun to watch Joshua Josephs’ tape. His long arms and insane get-off cause problems for tackles before plays even begin. He forces tackles onto their heels quickly and utilizes a good push pull move, while being quick enough to cross in front of their face. If Josephs can put on some more weight and turn his speed to power, he can be a really dynamic pass rusher at the NFL level.
However, putting on some weight is important. He’s not strong enough to turn speed into power often, and his size hurts him against the run. Josephs also needs to refine his technique as a tackler. There are too many times he isn’t able to bring down the quarterback, or a ballcarrier in open space. If he can put on some weight and be more consistent when it comes to tackling, there’s a lot of potential to unlock.
Josephs reminds me a lot of Princely Umanmielen, a third-round pick to Carolina last year. Josephs is a little smaller, but both were quick off the line, got extension with their long arms and had a variety of pass rush moves. Like Umanmielen, Josephs will need to be stronger in general, especially against the run.
NFL Projection: Early Day 2
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.2 (Long-Time Starter)
Grade Range: 7.7-8.6
Games Watched: vs Oklahoma (2025), vs Syracuse (2025), at Florida (2025)
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