'He has a ton of NFL traits that hint at a 2025 breakout' - PFF lists Tennessee Vols senior as one to watch for the 2026 NFL Draft

One of the biggest holes the Tennessee Vols will need to fill in 2025 is the one left by edge rusher James Pearce. 

Pearce, a first round selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft, was a dominant edge rusher with rare athletic traits for the Volunteers. He's a player that won't be easy to replace. 

Vols senior edge rusher Joshua Josephs, however, should help Tennessee replace some of Pearce's production. 

Josephs was pointed out by Pro Football Focus this week as an edge rusher to watch in the 2026 NFL Draft. PFF's Trevor Sikkema noted that Josephs has a "ton of NFL traits". 

From PFF: Josephs hasn’t made his mark in the stats columns yet, but he has a ton of NFL traits that hint at a 2025 breakout. He is listed at just over 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, which is light for an edge rusher, but it’s not too far off the average for a 3-4 outside linebacker type, especially for a player who wins with speed.

He has a good first step in his pass rushes and wins with arm length. He needs more pass-rush refinement, learning what to do with those long arms and hands, as evidenced by his 1.5, 3.0 and 1.5 sack totals over the past three seasons. But his PFF grades are much more favorable, including an 86.4 PFF pass-rush grade and a 91.2 PFF run-defense grade in 2025. He logged an impressive 16.7% pass-rush win rate last season, despite needing to be better about his technique and overall pass-rush plans.