Josh Paschal's NFL Draft stock is rising

Kentucky’s 6-0 start has helped shine a light on the Wildcats’ top pro prospects, most notably Josh Paschal. The senior defensive end is one of 15 players whose name came up when the On3 college football staff spoke to NFL scouts for its midseason report.

A Kentucky staffer told On3 going into the season that he expected Paschal to end up going in the top three rounds of the draft. That’s now looking increasingly possible. Paschal ranks fourth in the SEC with 7.5 tackles for loss. “There will be defensive line prospects with more ‘wow factor’ in this draft, but few are as dependable and productive on a weekly basis as Paschal,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy told On3 recently. “From a scouting perspective, Paschal is a versatile and instinctive player with quick hands and a slippery knack for getting into the backfield. Makeup-wise, he is a checks-all-the-boxes type that we expect to ascend through the draft process once NFL teams start spending time with him.”

Matt Zenitz, On3

Paschal’s numbers halfway through the season

Through six games, Paschal has 25 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and a team-high six quarterback hurries. He was named SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week and Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week for his performance vs. Florida. Against the Gators, Paschal has seven tackles, 2.5 for loss. He also made the play of the game, blocking Florida’s field goal in the third quarter, which Trevin Wallace returned for a touchdown.

“I could tell you this: it’s been a long time since I saw anybody play better than Josh Paschal did,” Mark Stoops said in his press conference the Monday after the Florida win. “I mean, just incredible, the way he has played—the way he played Saturday.”

Paschal has played in 46 games in his Kentucky career with 31 starts. He’s totaled 111 career tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries. If there was a stat for heart, his would be through the roof. Whatever NFL team drafts the three-time Kentucky captain is better off for it.