Joshua Josephs is an EDGE from Tennessee who is ranked No. 61 on my NFL Draft Top 100 Big Board. This comprehensive scouting report analyzes Josephs’s draft potential, current mock draft trends, and where he ranks among the top prospects.
Joshua Josephs’s NFL Draft Potential
Joshua Josephs has been one of the most consistently disruptive pass-rushers in college football this year, with four sacks, six tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles through seven games. At around 6’3″ and less than 250 pounds, his lean frame could be a problem at the NFL level, but his over-34″ arms help him compensate in contact situations.
Josephs can seamlessly acquire leverage and win with speed, bend, and tempo modulations, while using his length to attack opposing swipes, decouple from blocks, and impact the quarterback. He’s also much better in run defense than his frame dimensions would indicate, as his leverage acquisition and length aid him there as well. For odd and hybrid-front schemes, Josephs presents exciting starting upside.
CFB Week 9 Update
Josephs was surprisingly contained, for the most part, as Cutter Boley dropped back to pass time and time again in Tennessee’s high-scoring victory over the stubborn Kentucky Wildcats. Per PFF, he only generated two pressures on 21 pass-rush snaps, and he was a non-factor in run defense, too.
Josephs did flash his ability to pry around sets with his bend and length, but he too often lacked the hand power to truly displace blockers, and in the run game, while he aligned his base well, play strength and raw power proved to be an issue there as well. That non-elite power could be a sticking point for his evaluation, but he does have the length to imply greater ability there.
CFB Week 10 Update
The stat sheet won’t pop off the page for Joshua Josephs in Week 10, but the tape is much more complementary. Josephs lived up to his reputation as a run defender, naturally acquiring leverage and stacking defenders, and the Sooners used motions and outside runs to minimize his impact.
Meanwhile, as a pass-rusher, Josephs was able to win around the arc with his throttling twitch, burst, and bend, and he also got a clean win on an inside swim at one point, using his length and active hands to seal the deal. Josephs is a good two-phase player with all of the athletic tools and measurables that odd and hybrid-front teams look for in wide-alignment edge defenders, and further review of his tape should only solidify his stock.
CFB Week 11 Update
Tennessee was on a bye in Week 11. They’ll return to action in Week 12 against the New Mexico State Aggies.
CFB Week 12 Update
Josephs missed the Volunteers’ inconsequential Week 12 clash against New Mexico State with an apparent injury. The hope is that he’ll be back for the Volunteers’ upcoming matchup against the Florida Gators — where he’ll have a chance to prove himself against a fellow 2026 NFL Draft prospect in offensive tackle Austin Barber.
Where Is Josephs Being Selected Most Often in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator?
Josephs currently holds the No. 65 overall rank among prospects, reflecting his standing among mid-round prospects. His most recent Average Draft Position (ADP) of 63.6 as of November 19 reflects that he is typically being selected in the second or third round.
This small gap between rank and ADP suggests he’s consistently valued among evaluators, even amid fluctuations in player evaluations at this stage of the draft cycle.
Users controlling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been the team that selected Josephs the most frequently over the past week, accounting for 0.9% of their picks across all seven rounds.
Ready to run your own draft? Head over to the free PFSN Mock Draft Simulator and be the GM of your favorite team!
Where Does Joshua Josephs Rank Amongst Other NFL Draft Prospects?
Josephs is currently ranked No. 61 overall in my November 2026 NFL Draft Big Board. Among EDGE prospects, Josephs ranks 8th at the position, trailing prospects like Rueben Bain Jr., Keldric Faulk, David Bailey. With a ranking inside the top 64, Josephs is positioned as a Day 2 prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Want to see how we rank all the draft prospects in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator? Check out our NFL Draft Prospect Rankings page, which includes more than 750 prospects.
