2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Josh Paschal

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Josh Paschal, 6-3/278 Defensive End Kentucky

Josh Paschal Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Tough as nails

Very physical

Good motor

Powerful bull rush

Can set the edge

Strength to work off blocks

Strong run defender

Active pass rusher

Takes on and sheds blocks

Strong, active hands

Uses hands and feet at the same time

Has some quickness

Developed technique

Plays with good leverage

Quality lateral anchor

Reliable to hold his ground

Disciplined

Intelligent

Can rush from the inside

Special teams contributor

Excellent fit as a five-technique in a 3-4

Sturdy to be a base end in a 4-3

Weaknesses:

Not a great athlete

Lacks elite speed as an edge rusher

Could use more pass-rushing moves

Could be solid pro, but not super productive as a pass rusher

Stiffness

Can struggle to dip his hips to get pointed to the quarterback

Summary: Kentucky has produced a number of good NFL prospects in recent years. Under head coach Mark Stoops, the Wildcats have produced a string of hard-nosed football players who demonstrate good fundamentals abd strength, and play tough, physical football. Paschal fits right in, having spent the last few years as a gritty defender in the SEC.

Paschal saw the field sparingly in 2017 an 2018, but he earned more playing time in 2019, allowing him to record 34 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defended. During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, he collected 32 tackles, a sack and an interception. Paschal then picked up 52 tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble as a senior.



For the NFL, Paschal is a physical defender at the point of attack. He is tough as nails and difficult to move in the ground game. He holds his gap well and has the strength to work off blocks. Thanks to Paschal’s quality lateral anchor and good leverage, offensive linemen struggle to move him. He will take on and shed blocks to get in on tackles to help produce quality down-and-distance situations. Paschal possesses a steady motor and doesn’t quit on plays. With his strength, build, good fundamentals, and technique, Paschal should be an asset as a run defender at the next level.

Paschal is a solid contributor to the pass rush, but he is not a world beater. He lacks elite speed and athleticism off the edge. Paschal has a powerful bull rush and some quickness out of his stance, but he is stiff and can struggle to dip his hips to redirect to the quarterback. As a rusher, Paschal has versatility to move inside and go against guards. Paschal will probably never be a prolific sack master in the NFL, but he could be a really solid complement to good rushers around him.

Paschal has the flexibility to line up on the edge or move inside to three-technique defensive tackle. In the NFL, he would likely be a good fit for playing as either a base end in a 4-3 or as a five-technique in a 3-4. While Paschal does not have ideal height and length for a five-technique, his strength and toughness should let him handle the role.

In the 2022 NFL Draft, Paschal has a shot at being a second-day pick. If he slips out of the third round, he should go in the early rounds of Day 3.



Player Comparison: Allen Bailey. Paschal is reminiscent of Bailey coming out of Miami. Bailey (6-3, 288) and Paschal are similar in size. As Paschal ages in a pro strength program, he probably will put on weight and add about 10 pounds to be nearly identical to Bailey. Both are hard-nosed football players who are tough at the point of attack. Bailey had six sacks in 2018, and in the NFL, I think Paschal will top out in the 6-8 sacks range in the good years of his career.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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