{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Joshua Pryor | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | current_team = | number = | position = Defensive tackle | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|10|25}} | birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lb = 280 | high_school = Dunbar (Baltimore) | college = Bowie State (2017–2022) | undraftedyear = 2023 | pastteams = * Washington Commanders ({{NFL Year|2023}}) * Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2024}})* * Birmingham Stallions ({{UFL Year|2025}})* | status = | highlights = | statseason = | statweek = | statlabel1 = Tackles | statvalue1 = 1 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = | statlabel3 = Pass deflections | statvalue3 = | statlabel4 = Interceptions | statvalue4 = | statlabel5 = Forced fumbles | statvalue5 = | statlabel6 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue6 = | statlabel7 = Touchdowns | statvalue7 = | pfr = PryoJo00 }} '''Joshua Zekiah Pryor''' (born October 25, 1999) is an American professional football defensive tackle. He played college football at Bowie State and was signed by the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
==Early life== Pryor was born on October 25, 1999, in Baltimore, Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PryoJo00.htm|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|title=Joshua Pryor Stats}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4383684/joshua-pryor|publisher=ESPN|title=Joshua Pryor}}</ref> He began playing football at age five.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-native-first-bowie-state-player-drafted-nfl/43726484#|publisher=WBAL-TV|title=Baltimore native hopes to be first Bowie State player drafted into NFL|date=April 27, 2023|author=Simms, Barry}}</ref> He attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Baltimore and was an unranked recruit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/player/88495/|website=247Sports|title=Joshua Pryor}}</ref> He began his collegiate career with the NCAA Division II Bowie State Bulldogs in 2017.<ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballdb.com/players/joshua-pryor-pryorjo02|website=FootballDB.com|title=Joshua Pryor Stats}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://bsubulldogs.com/news/2019/8/15/football-joshua-pryor|date=August 15, 2019|title=Joshua Pryor Named to Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List|publisher=Bowie State Bulldogs}}</ref>
==College career== Pryor redshirted his first year at Bowie State in 2017, appearing in no games.<ref name="auto6"/><ref name="auto1"/> In 2018, he appeared in 13 games and helped the Bulldogs win the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship in 2018, totaling 55 tackles, fourth-best on the team, 20 tackles-for-loss, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.<ref name="auto6"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://hbcusports.com/2023/04/10/bowie-state-all-ciaa-lineman-joshua-pryor-invited-to-an-nfl-pro-day/|website=HBCU Sports|title=Bowie State All-CIAA lineman Joshua Pryor invited to an NFL Pro Day|date=April 10, 2023|author=Hoffman, Jared}}</ref> For his performance, he was named first-team All-CIAA, the conference rookie of the year and to the CIAA All-Rookie team, additionally being chosen to the BoxToRow All-America team.<ref name="auto1"/>
In 2019, Pryor helped Bowie State repeat as CIAA champions while posting 12.5 sacks and being named the team defensive most valuable player, BoxToRow All-American and first-team All-CIAA.<ref name="auto4"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theciaa.com/news/2019/12/11/football-10-ciaa-standouts-receive-boxtorow-all-american-honors.aspx|publisher=Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|title=10 CIAA Football Standouts Earn BOXTOROW All-American Honors|date=December 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theciaa.com/news/2019/11/11/ciaa-announces-2019-football-all-conference-and-superlatives.aspx|publisher=Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|title=CIAA Announces 2019 Football All-Conference and Superlatives |date=November 11, 2019}}</ref> He was also selected the Protect Your Skull Division II Defensive Player of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bsubulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/joshua-pryor/6024|publisher=Bowie State Bulldogs|title=Joshua Pryor}}</ref> After the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was named second-team All-CIAA and helped the Bulldogs win a third-straight conference championship in 2021.<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto4"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theciaa.com/news/2021/11/7/ciaa-announces-2021-football-all-conference-teams-and-superlatives.aspx|publisher=Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|title=CIAA Announces 2021 Football All-Conference Teams and Superlatives|date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> In his final season, 2022, Pryor led the Bulldogs with 47 tackles, posted 1.05 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles on his way to being named first-team All-CIAA, the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year and second-team Associated Press All-American.<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://bsubulldogs.com/news/2022/11/11/pryor-named-ciaa-defensive-player-of-the-year-seven-bulldogs-named-to-2022-all-ciaa-football-team.aspx|publisher=Bowie State Bulldogs|title=Pryor Named CIAA Defensive Player of the Year; Eight Bulldogs Named to 2022 All-CIAA Football Team|date=November 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iupathletics.com/news/2022/12/14/football-brown-named-ap-all-america-earns-second-national-award.aspx|publisher=IUP Crimson Hawks|title=Brown named AP All-America; earns second national award|date=December 14, 2022}}</ref> He ended his collegiate career as the all-time school leader in sacks (32) and tackles-for-loss (77) and placed second in total tackles (245), additionally four forced fumbles.<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/football/joshua-pryor-underdog-challenge-nfl|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Joshua Pryor: The 'Underdog' Is Ready To Challenge The NFL's Big Dogs|date=April 27, 2023|author=Mosley, Kyle T.}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://bowiestate.edu/about/news/2023/bowie-state-defensive-lineman-considered-top-prospect-to-be-nfl-draft-pick.php|publisher=Bowie State University|title=Bowie State Defensive Lineman Considered Top Prospect To Be NFL Draft Pick|author=Saxon, Jonathan|date=April 2023}}</ref> He was invited to the HBCU Legacy Bowl and had two sacks in the game.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wjla.com/sports/nfl-draft/2023-nfl-draft-football-joshua-pryor-bowie-state-university-hbcu-player-first-round-second-third-pick-teams-abc-news-baltimore-maryland-prince-georges-county|publisher=WJLA-TV|title=Joshua Pryor looking to become first Bowie State player to be selected in the NFL Draft|date=April 19, 2023|author=Abraham, Scott}}</ref> He graduated from Bowie State with a degree in communications.<ref name="auto3"/>
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 3 1/2 | weight = 242 | dash = 4.85 | ten split = 1.72 | twenty split = 2.65 | shuttle = 4.49 | cone drill = 7.60 | vertical = 34.5 | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 0 | bench = 20 | arm span = 32 5/8 | hand span = 9 7/8 | note = All values from HBCU Combine/Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Joshua Pryor College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1030758&DraftYear=2023 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=DraftScout.com}}</ref> }} ===Washington Commanders=== After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Pryor was signed by the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcnewsnow.com/sports/professional-sports/nfl/nfl-draft/bowie-state-standout-josh-pryor-signs-deal-with-commanders/|publisher=WDCW|title=Bowie State standout Josh Pryor signs deal with Commanders |date=April 29, 2023|author=Flumm, Alex}}</ref> He was released during roster cuts August 28.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/08/28/commanders-roster-cuts/|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=The Commanders made their first batch of roster cuts. Here’s who’s out.|author=Fortier, Sam; Jhabvala, Nicki|date=August 28, 2023}}</ref> He was signed to the team's practice squad on October 10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-place-darrick-forrest-jeremy-reaves-on-ir-among-multiple-roster-moves|publisher=Washington Commanders|title=Commanders place Darrick Forrest, Jeremy Reaves on IR among multiple roster moves|date=October 10, 2023|author=Selby, Zach}}</ref> He was elevated to the active roster for the Commanders' Week 11 game against the New York Giants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-elevate-rb-derrick-gore-dt-joshua-pryor-from-practice-squad|publisher=Washington Commanders|title=Commanders elevate RB Derrick Gore, DE Joshua Pryor from practice squad |date=November 18, 2023|author=Selby, Zach}}</ref> Pryor was signed to the active roster on December 14, 2023,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Manning |first1=Bryan |title=Commanders place LB Jamin Davis on season-ending IR |url=https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/13/commanders-place-lb-jamin-davis-on-season-ending-ir-ron-rivera-joshua-pryor/ |website=Commanders Wire |access-date=15 December 2023}}</ref> and was waived on May 7, 2024.
===Cincinnati Bengals=== On August 7, 2024, Pryor signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bengals roster moves|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-roster-moves-carter-pryor-signed|website=Bengals.com|date=August 7, 2024}}</ref> On August 23, Pryor was released by the Bengals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bengals roster moves|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-roster-moves-waive-11-players|website=Bengals.com|date=August 23, 2024}}</ref>
=== Birmingham Stallions === On September 19, 2024, Pryor signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL).<ref>{{cite tweet |user=UFL_PR |title=The #UFL has announced the following transactions |number=1836897481335935313 |date=September 19, 2024 |access-date=September 20, 2024}}</ref> He was released on March 20, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UFL Teams Finalize Rosters After Successful Training Camp |url=https://www.theufl.com/news/ufl-teams-finalize-rosters-after-successful-training-camp |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=www.theufl.com |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://bsubulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/joshua-pryor/6024 Bowie State Bulldogs bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pryor, Joshua}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:American football defensive ends Category:Players of American football from Baltimore Category:Bowie State Bulldogs football players Category:Washington Commanders players Category:Cincinnati Bengals players Category:Birmingham Stallions (2022) players