Joshua Josephs was a mainstay on the Tennessee defensive line for a few years, playing alongside of guys like James Pearce, Omarr Norman-Lott and the rest of what became a deep front. Despite never truly being billed as ‘the guy’ up front, Josephs was constantly making plays. He really emerged during Tennessee’s 2024 run to the College Football Playoff, tallying nine tackles for loss and three forced fumbles.
That production continued in 2025 with Josephs being the top option at the LEO spot in Knoxville.
Stats: 3 forced fumbles in each of the last two seasons. 4 sacks in 2025. 15 tackles for loss in ‘24/’25 combined.
High School Prospect Ranking: 4-star, 330th overall
As far as a pass rusher’s frame goes, Josephs has plenty to work with to start. 6-foot-3 is nothing all that special, but Josephs plays with a ton of length thanks to 34.25 inch arms. That alone is a nice starting point, paired with good-enough athleticism to make impactful plays here and there. Josephs didn’t have the fast-ball or get-off that Pearce had at Tennessee, but he found ways to make big plays throughout his career.
The first play below against Georgia should have won the game for Tennessee. A simple, quick rip and dip around the edge got Josephs home to force a fumble.
Joshua Josephs Cut Ups https://t.co/4qTrPMWoQ3 pic.twitter.com/zor14zdJj8
Josephs has a knack for forcing fumbles, racking up three in each of his final two seasons at Tennessee.
Overall, the sack production was always lagging for Josephs. He only got home four times as a senior, despite flashing the tools necessary for more. Between his length and active hands, an NFL team likely could get more out of him with a couple of years of seasoning. He’ll also likely be asked to put on more weight in order to hold up against the run. Josephs checks in at just over 240 pounds.
His immediate fit in the league will more than likely be as a rotational pass rusher, maybe that third or fourth guy in line that specializes on passing downs. The tools are there to grow into something more than that down the road, however.