CAREER HONORS

SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week (at Oklahoma, 9/23/24)

CAREER

Third-year defensive pass rusher who possesses great length and quickness … Has had an impressive junior season both as a pass rusher and run defender from the LEO position … Recorded 70 tackles, 16 TFLs and 5.5 sacks, 16 QB hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and six pass breakups in his career … Played in 36 career games and made five starts.

2024 - JUNIOR

Is the third highest-graded defensive player in the SEC and the 11th-highest in the FBS (min. 200 snaps) according to PFF at 90.6 overall ... Made three tackles, including one TFL and half a sack, while adding a pass breakup in road win at Vanderbilt (11/30) ... Was dominant in win vs. UTEP (11/23), posting five tackles and a QB hurry while setting a career high with two TFLs ... Posted three tackles and a PBU at #12 Georgia (11/16) ... Started at LEO and had two QB hurries in win over Mississippi State (11/9) ... Had four tackles, a QB hurry and a massive strip sack to force a turnover and setup a go-ahead touchdown for the Vols in the third quarter of their win over Kentucky (11/2) ... Started at defensive end and played a season-high 40 snaps in win over #7 Alabama (10/19), posting three tackles, including half a TFL and a career-best three QB hurries ... Was a force in win over Florida (10/12), setting career highs in tackles (7), TFLs (1.5) and pass breakups (1) while also recording a QB hurry ... Played a season-high 38 snaps and finished with four tackles and half a TFL at Arkansas (10/5) ... Was extremely disruptive in road win at #15 Oklahoma (9/21), posting three tackles, a TFL, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in a dominant defensive effort ... Forced and recovered a fumble to stifle a potential Sooners' scoring drive inside UT's 10-yard line at the beginning of the second quarter ... Made his first-career start in blowout win vs. #24 NC State (9/7), posting two tackles and a TFL on 18 defensive snaps ... Played 15 snaps and posted three tackles, half a TFL and made his first-career fumble recovery, which led to a first-quarter touchdown in UT’s season-opening win vs. Chattanooga (8/31).

2023 - SOPHOMORE

Played in 12 games as a reserve defensive end and got stronger as the season went on … Notched 20 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss of 24 yards, three sacks for a loss of 18 yards and three QB hurries ... Picked up two tackles vs. No. 17 Iowa in Citrus Bowl (1/1) … Assisted on four tackles, including half a TFL and a QB hurry in win vs. Vanderbilt (11/25) ... Had one tackle in 15 defensive snaps vs. No. 1 Georgia (11/18) ... Made a career-high five tackles, including a 4-yard TFL in loss at No. 14 Missouri (11/11) ... Was productive at No. 11/8 Alabama (10/21), recording two tackles, a sack and a pass breakup ... Notched his second sack of the year and also added a QB hurry in win over South Carolina (9/30) ... Made one tackle while playing 13 defensive snaps in win over UTSA (9/23) ... Saw action on 17 defensive snaps and recorded his second-career sack in win vs. Austin Peay (9/9) ... Played 12 snaps and recorded two tackles in season-opening victory vs. Virginia (9/2).

2022 - FRESHMAN

Played in 12 games as a true freshman and showcased his playmaking abilities as a reserve pass rusher at the LEO position … Posted 12 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups in his first collegiate season … Logged three tackles in the Capital One Orange Bowl against No. 7 Clemson (12/30) …Posted his fifth QB hurry of the season in the regular-season finale at Vanderbilt (11/26) ... Logged a QB hurry and a pass breakup to go along with one tackle in the victory over UT Martin (10/22) ... Recorded his first career sack in the victory at No. 25 LSU (10/8), setting the tone for the defense in the first quarter ... Finished with two tackles in Baton Rouge ... Made an impact as a reserve defensive lineman in his SEC debut, recording a pair of QB hurries and a tackle in the victory over No. 20 Florida (9/24) ... Notched three tackles and a TFL in the victory over Akron (9/17), seeing significant action ... Made his collegiate debut in season-opening win over Ball State (9/1), finishing with a pair of tackles, a pass breakup and half a TFL.

HIGH SCHOOL

Talented, lengthy edge rusher from North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia … Enrolled at Tennessee in June 2022 … Rated a four-star prospect and a top-15 edge rusher in the country by both 247Sports and On3.com … The No. 71 overall prospect and No. 8 player from Georgia according to On3 … Tabbed No. 165 nationally and No. 15 among edge rushers by 247Sports … Listed by ESPN.com and Rivals as a three-star prospect … The No. 23 edge rusher in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite … Has a verified 82-inch wingspan … Led his high school to two consecutive Region 3 championships and was a team captain … As a senior, tallied 104 tackles and six sacks as the leader of a defense that allowed only 17.5 points per game … Racked up 98 tackles with seven tackles for loss and four sacks his junior season … Received all-state and all-county first team defensive honors in 2020 … Committed to the Vols in November 2021 … Chose Tennessee over 26 other Division I offers, including five other SEC programs … Coached by Shane Queen.

PERSONAL

Full name is Joshua Kalebe Josephs … Born on Dec. 8, 2003, in Marietta, Georgia … Son of Patricia Josephs … Has two brothers, Kapel and Iziah, and four sisters, Raina, Murphy, Kemoy and Molanda … Majoring in communication studies … Models his game after T.J. Watt … Favorite movie is Kung Fu Panda … Favorite musical artist is YoungBoy Never Broke Again … Would most like to visit Greece … Twitter handle is @joshuajosephs2 and Instagram handle is @jjo5hua.

Joshua Josephs