Joshuah Bledsoe 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Position: Safety
Height: 5’11
Weight: 204 lbs.
School: University of Missouri
Pro Day Stats (Not Available)
Joshuah Bledsoe 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Overview
With the 2021 NFL Draft upon us, it is time to analyze some later-round potential gems that could pay big dividends to a team later on. Joshuah Bledsoe has the possibility to be a very good find in the draft.
Born in Houston, Texas, Joshuah Bledsoe attended Andy Dekaney High School in Harris County. In his junior year, Bledsoe completed 49 tackles, one interception, and broke up four passes. As a senior, he had nine rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown, one fumble return, one punt return, and a pair of interceptions with a broken-up pass. Bledsoe played cornerback, safety, and running back in high school. Rivals.com, 247Sports.com, and ESPN.com ranked him as a three-star prospect, while Scout.com ranked him as a two-star prospect. He was a 3.5 GPA student. Bledsoe committed to the University of Missouri.
In his freshman year, Joshuah Bledsoe completed nine solo and four assisted tackles with one sack. He was placed on the 2017-18 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll. He also had a career-high three tackles against Georgia. During his sophomore season, Bledsoe had 19 solo and eight assisted tackles with two defended passes. Additionally, he had one return for a touchdown. Bledsoe made the 2018 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. He was ranked 12th on the team with 28 tackles and two broken-up passes. Additionally, he had a season-high four tackles against Kentucky.
The following year, Bledsoe completed 35 tackles solo and 14 assisted tackles with one forced fumble and 10 defended passes. He finished third on the team in tackles and had a team-best 10 broken passes with a fumble recovery. Bledsoe’s 49 tackles were a new career-best and he became the first Missouri safety in over ten years to have more than 10 disrupted passes in a season. It was also the eighth time a Missouri defender had 10 pass disruptions in a season. Against Vanderbilt, Bledsoe had a career-best 10 tackles. In his senior year, Bledsoe had 24 solo and 17 assisted tackles with one forced fumble, one interception, and six defended passes.
Strengths
- Good size and frame
- Competitive and very durable
- Has explosive speed
- Physical and aggressive
- Can be used in multiple positions
Weaknesses
- Struggles against elusive receivers
- Footwork needs improvement
- Lacks awareness and instincts
- Loses track of assignment at times
- Not athletic
Player Comparison: Cody Davis
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants
Draft Projection: Fifth Round
Bottom Line on Joshuah Bledsoe
Bledsoe is tough, physical and brings a strong competitive edge to his game. His lack of awareness and instincts are very concerning, as well as his average footwork against receivers. Bledsoe fits in better as a strong safety who can focus on the run game instead of the passing game. A team will take a chance on Bledsoe in the later rounds due to his physical qualities. There are no past injury concerns, which is a bonus.
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