Bowie State Defensive Lineman Considered Top Prospect To Be NFL Draft Pick
Joshua Pryor Poised to Become First BSU Player to be Drafted
MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Saxon, jsaxon@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-3607
(BOWIE, Md.) – Bowie State defensive lineman Joshua Pryor, who holds the school record for tackles for loss, could be the first ever Bulldog selected in the NFL Draft this weekend.
Pryor has been training up to six days a week since November preparing for every opportunity he has to put his best foot forward for NFL teams ahead of the draft, to be held April 27-29. Bowie State has had four other football players make it to the NFL with Marco Tongue (1983-84), Victor Jackson (1986-87), Isaac Redman (2009-13) and Khari Lee (2015-18) though none of them were drafted.
“I feel blessed to be in this position,” said Pryor, who has drawn interest from the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders while meeting with teams during his pre-draft workouts and combines. “This was my goal for such a long time. Just being able to focus on football without having to worry about anything else has been great.”
Pryor, who graduated in December with his communications degree, saw his stock elevate following a standout performance during the 2023 HBCU Legacy Bowl where he finished with seven total tackles, including three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. He was also honored as the 2022 CIAA Defensive Player of the Year after finishing with 47 total tackles (20 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks his senior season. Pryor is also Bowie State’s all-time leader in tackles for loss with 77.
Reaching the NFL has been a lifelong dream for Pryor, who started playing football at five years old. He said going through the process of meeting with teams and preparing to go to the next level has been a surreal experience when he compares it to the encouragement he received growing up and playing ball in Baltimore.
“There have been people that would walk up and tell my dad, ‘Your son is playing on Sundays,’” said Pryor. “It became a reality after my first year of college. Starting to get contacted by different teams, it was like receiving the rewards from all the years of hard work. Seeing the end goal in sight is unreal.”
Bowie State head coach Kyle Jackson described Pryor as a soft-spoken but talented football player who is versatile enough to play in any spot on the defensive line. He highlighted Pryor’s ability to anticipate opposing team’s snap counts and his wealth of hand-fighting techniques as major keys to Pryor’s success that could translate to the professional level.
“He’s fast and athletic enough to play on the edge, but he’s also physical and strong enough to play in the interior as well,” said Jackson. “Josh has a great instinct for when the ball is going to be snapped, so his get-off allows him to get on top of the offensive linemen real quick. From there, he has a great arsenal of moves and counters to help him be successful at the point of contact.”
Pryor has been trying to maintain a balanced outlook while experiencing the rigors of preparing for the draft. His eyes are set on the league, but Pryor would consider it a great point of pride if he could become the first Bowie State football player to have his name called by the NFL Commissioner.
“It would be an amazing feeling,” said Pryor. “I really take pride in Bowie State and where I came from. I grew to love the tradition and history of Bowie State. For me to have the opportunity to get drafted and make history for my school, it would definitely be an honor.”
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