Joshua Josephs DE/EDGE Tennessee |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #19 SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/26/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.73 seconds (73%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.8 DOB: 12/08/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jersey: #19 | |
| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
| Last Updated: 02/26/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.73 seconds (73%*) | |
| Age: 22.8 DOB: 12/08/2003 | |
| Overall Rating: | 85.5 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
58% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
96% |
| Run Defense: |
|
87% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Mid
Overall Rank:
#44
Position rank:
#11 (DL)
|
||
| College Games: 47 College Snaps: 1141 | ||
ESPN RATING: 79/100
|
||
247 RATING: 93/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ashton Gillotte - Louisville |
|
85% |
| Josaiah Stewart - Michigan |
|
84% |
| Arnold Ebiketie - Penn State |
|
83% |
Drafted: ROUND: 5 - Pick Number: 147 (WSH)
Draft Profile: Bio
Joshua Kalebe Josephs grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia, where he turned heads at North Cobb High School with a frame that screamed future NFL pass rusher. Standing 6'3" with an absurd 82-inch wingspan that made offensive tackles nervous before he even moved, Josephs racked up 104 tackles and six sacks as a senior while leading his team to back-to-back Region 3 championships. Born on a date not widely publicized, the talented edge defender committed to Tennessee in November 2021, selecting the Volunteers over 26 other Division I programs including five SEC schools. His high school coach Shane Queen helped mold him into a four-star prospect ranked among the nation's top-15 edge rushers by 247Sports and On3.Tennessee's coaching staff knew they had something special when Josephs arrived in Knoxville in June 2022, but patience would be required. As a true freshman, he flashed playmaking ability with 12 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and his first collegiate sack at LSU. The next two years saw him develop behind NFL-caliber talents Byron Young and James Pearce Jr., the latter becoming Atlanta's first-round selection in 2025. During that apprenticeship period from 2023-24, Josephs accumulated 59 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles while gradually earning more responsibility. His 2024 campaign proved particularly impressive when PFF graded him as one of the nation's top-10 edge rushers at 90.0 overall, ranking fifth on the team in tackles despite limited starts.
The 2025 season finally gave Josephs the spotlight he had earned through years of patient development. Starting all 11 regular season games at the LEO position, he delivered dominant performances week after week. His 90.0 pass rush grade ranked third in the SEC and 19th nationally, while his game-changing plays mounted: a 41-yard fumble return touchdown at Mississippi State, a crucial strip-sack against Georgia that led to points, and three forced fumbles that tied him for 13th nationally. He crossed the 100-career tackle threshold at Kentucky and earned recognition on the 2025 Senior Bowl Top 300 list. Josephs graduated in December 2025 with a bachelor's degree in communication studies, capping a four-year journey from raw athletic specimen to one of the most disruptive defenders in the Southeastern Conference.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- That 82-inch wingspan creates problems before the snap even happens, allowing him to strike offensive tackles at range while keeping his body clean from their punch attempts.
- First step explosiveness is legitimately special, with a 4.68 forty time that shows up on tape as elite get-off that leaves SEC linemen lunging at air.
- When setting the edge against the run, he plays with discipline and gap integrity that belies his age, anchoring hard and forcing ball carriers back inside.
- Pass rush repertoire has developed nicely with a devastating cross-chop, effective push-pull, and a bull-to-rip sequence that gave Alabama and Oklahoma fits.
- Shows legitimate football intelligence when diagnosing screen passes and misdirection, rarely biting on the eye candy that fools less patient rushers.
- Long arm technique converts his speed to power effectively, delivering shocking jolts that knock SEC tackles off their spot and reset the line of scrimmage.
- Closing speed on the quarterback is electric, and once he turns the corner his natural bend lets him flatten to the passer at angles tackles cannot mirror.
- Plays with a genuine mean streak when games hang in the balance, hunting down pressure opportunities with the killer instinct you cannot coach.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- At 240 pounds, the lack of mass becomes apparent when power-profile tackles sit down and anchor against his rush, neutralizing his speed advantage.
- Stiff ankles limit his ability to maximize bend around the corner, preventing him from fully utilizing his flexibility through his torso and knees.
- Tight end chips and combo blocks collapse him inside far too easily, opening up outside run lanes that better anchored defenders would seal.
- Tackling inconsistency is concerning with a 23.5% missed tackle rate, suggesting issues with technique or effort when bringing down ball carriers.
- Sack totals have not matched his pressure rate throughout his career, indicating he struggles to finish plays when he wins his rep and reaches the quarterback.
Scouting Report: Summary
Watch him play and you see an edge defender whose athletic profile makes coordinators drool. The combination of 4.6ish speed, 34-plus inch arms, and an 80+ inch wingspan creates a physical package that should translate immediately as a situational pass rusher at the next level. He wins with quickness and length off the snap, and his hand timing has improved markedly over the past two seasons. Tennessee deployed him primarily as a designated pass rusher for good reason, and NFL teams would be wise to follow that blueprint initially.Here's the deal with Josephs: he's going to need time to develop into a complete three-down player. The tackling issues and anchor problems against power are real concerns that will show up against NFL offensive lines with better technique and more strength. His situational college usage, with only 17 career starts and 626 pass rush snaps over four years, means he hasn't been tested as an every-down defender against top competition. Teams with strong rotational philosophies will get more immediate value than those expecting a day-one starter who can handle 50-plus snaps.
A 4-3 scheme that can deploy him as a designated speed rusher on third downs makes the most sense initially, though he possesses the versatility to kick inside on obvious passing situations. As he adds functional mass and refines his technique against the run, the ceiling expands considerably. Defensive coordinators who specialize in matchup-based game plans will appreciate his ability to threaten tackles with speed while possessing enough moves to win inside when opponents over-commit to taking away the edge. The projection here is a productive NFL pass rusher whose long-term value depends entirely on whether he can add 15-20 pounds of good weight without sacrificing the explosiveness that makes him dangerous.
Joshua Josephs percentiles vs other Defensive Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Joshua Josephs (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
65.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
17.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.