JoshPaschal

2018 – Sophomore

• Played in three games with one starting assignment vs. Middle Tennessee
• In July of 2018, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma on the bottom of his right foot … underwent three surgeries, followed by ongoing monthly immunotherapy treatments
• Recovered sufficiently to play against Middle Tennessee … started the game and saw occasional action throughout
• In the second quarter, made a tackle on a third down play that forced a punt … When his name was called as the tackler, the Kroger Field crowd gave him a rousing ovation while his teammates swarmed him with congratulations
• Named SEC co-Defensive Player of the Week (11/19)
• Had two tackles and a TFL at Louisville
• Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll

2017 – Freshman

• Played in all 13 games with one start
• Earned his first career start vs. Northwestern in the Music City Bowl
• Totaled 17 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 3 QBH and 1 blocked kick
• Recorded a career-high three tackles along with a sack in the win over Tennessee and Vanderbilt
• Named SEC Special Teams Player of the week for his game-changing blocked punt vs. EMU
• First UK player to block a punt since Josh Forrest vs. Alabama State in 2013
• With UK clinging to a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter, Paschal deftly broke through the line and punter shield, also deducing the correct place and time to block a running rugby punt
• The blocked punt went for an 18-yard loss back to the EMU 12-yard line, setting up Benny Snell’s 12-yard TD run on the next play
• On the play before the blocked punt, forced a third-down incompletion with a quarterback hurry
• Finished the EMU game with a tackle and a QB hurry, and shared a quarterback sack
• Athlon Sports Preseason SEC All-Freshman Third Team

High School

• A four-star defensive end prospect by all the major recruiting services
• Scout ranks him the No. 28 defensive end nationally and No. 2 defensive end from the state of Maryland in the 2017 class
• 247Sports classifies him as the No. 11 strongside defensive end in the country
• ESPN scouting report says, “A high-motored DL with good, straight-line speed. Shows good initial burst and quickness to get up-field and make plays in the opponent’s backfield. Works well to maintain his point and shows good overall leverage vs. the run”
• Recorded 64 tackles as a senior, including nine tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks
• Also had four quarterback hurries
• Named first-team All-Conference defense by the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC)
• Earned first-team All-Sentinel by The Sentinel Newspapers
• Coached by Bill Milloy
• High school teammate of fellow 2017 signee Naasir Watkins
• Also a two-year letterwinner in track, participating in the 100-meters, 4×100 relay, shot put and discus
• Picked Kentucky over Notre Dame and Penn State

Personal

• Born in Washington, D.C.
• Son of Clayton and LaTauna Paschal
• Older brother, Travaughn, was a linebacker for the Wildcats from 2011-14
• Major is family science with a minor in coaching

Josh Says

• He chose Kentucky because of the family environment
• Other than playing in the NFL, his dream job is to own his own gym and be a personal trainer
• One word to describe him on the field is “relentless”
• The thing he’s most looking forward to this season is playing against the best competition in the country and competing for a championship