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Senior Spotlight: Tight End Josh Pederson

Senior Spotlight: Tight End Josh Pederson

Football Oct 07
By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist
 
Editor's Note: This Senior Spotlight is republished from the Oct. 3 digital game program (vs. Georgia Southern).

Senior tight end Josh Pederson lived in multiple cities growing up, yet one place always felt most like home.

Monroe, Louisiana.

When Pederson signed with ULM out of Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas, the decision brought him back to the area where he grew up, and where his grandparents still lived. Add in other relatives, family friends and occasional visits from his parents Doug and Jeannie and Pederson can typically deliver a ready-made crowd to Malone Stadium for the Warhawks.

"I don't like to brag, but I think I've got the biggest fan club at all the home games," said Pederson, who was part of head coach Matt Viator's first recruiting class in 2016. "I shell out a bunch of tickets for the home games, but it's awesome to look up there and see everybody. When my parents are fortunate enough to come into town, it's awesome to see them all up there."

Playing for ULM also gave him the chance to join the same program that launched the professional football career of his father Doug Pederson, a former NFL quarterback turned NFL head coach who led the Philadelphia Eagles to a win in Super Bowl LII.

"Five years ago, I didn't expect to be sitting in the position I am now, especially with the career I've had so far," Pederson said. "That's been the goal."

Proud of his father's legacy, Josh Pederson has made a name for himself too, as he has developed into one of the nation's top collegiate tight ends. As a junior in 2019, Pederson earned Pro Football Focus honorable mention All-American and All-Sun Belt First Team honors as he set career highs for receptions (43), receiving yards (567) and touchdown receptions (9).

"Being Doug Pederson's son is not a bad thing at all," Pederson said. "He's had a very successful career. But getting out of his shadow and making a name for myself has been one of my biggest goals. I had that year last year coming out and making my own name. That's been on my to-do list and I enjoyed it."

Pederson considered leaving ULM as a graduate transfer after his breakout junior season. With aspirations to play pro ball, he wanted to see if there was an opportunity to add to his resume. Yet he ultimately came back for a final run with the Warhawks.

"At the end of the day, when I started thinking and talking with my family, staying at ULM was the best decision for my career," Pederson said. "Being in different personnel settings and getting the ball probably way more than I would anywhere else, that was the best option for me. I haven't regretted it one little bit. I love it here, man."

Living in Louisiana the past five years has provided other perks too. An avid outdoorsman, Pederson has enjoyed being back in "The Sportsman's Paradise."

"I'm a big-time hunter and fisherman," Pederson said. "When you've got places to go that are 20 or 30 minutes away, it's the best of both worlds."

Duck hunting ranks as Pederson's biggest passion and he has a circle of friends and teammates that help keep him in the duck blind.

"I love duck hunting," he said. "I also love fishing too. You can fish all year round. But duck season is that one thing I can't wait to get here."

Even though he's a primary target in ULM's offense, Pederson's football bucket list has some unlikely goals too. He's occasionally spotted working on his drop kicks around the practice field.

"I always wished I could kick," Pederson said with a laugh. "I put a ball on a tee, and I can't kick. But I can drop kick. I don't know. It's one of my few skills I've got and I like to show it off I guess."

Another intriguing possibility for the wish list? Put Pederson on the throwing end of the "Philly Special" play that helped his dad's team score a touchdown the Super Bowl.

"That would be cool to run the 'Philly Special,'" Pederson considered. "Then again, it would be nice to hit a 37-yard drop kick, wouldn't it? Maybe I'll have to elbow them and say, 'Let me kick this one."

Even with his local support group nearby, the ULM experience helped Pederson grow and mature away from his nuclear family.

"It feels like home, yet I'm away from my immediate family," he said. "It forces you to grow up a little bit quicker – like any kid going to college, especially a student-athlete who has a schedule like we do. I told my parents a couple of years ago when they asked me what's one thing I learned in college. Besides all the classes, the biggest thing is just waking up and being on time to places. That's half the battle. Getting up for 8 a.m. classes or 6 o'clock practice, just getting up and being there and everything else takes care of itself. Especially if you love what you are doing."

Pederson ranks a 44-25 win over Georgia Southern in 2018 as one of his favorite games so far. At the time, the outcome helped ULM move into sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt's West Division.

"In 2018, we were fortunate enough to beat them pretty good and they had a really good team that year," said Pederson, who contributed two catches for 19 yards that November afternoon at Malone Stadium. "I look back to that game specifically. The team in general, we had a lot of energy on the sidelines and I think that fueled a lot of points for the offense. For the defense, it created a lot of stops. That's one that sticks out."

Like his father who played quarterback in the NFL for 12 years, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Pederson is hoping for his shot at professional football.

"That's my 'Plan A' I've got in mind if that all works and the season goes how I want it to," Pederson said. "Dad was fortunate enough to play at the next level and he made an unbelievable career out of it with what he did and then moved on to coaching.

"That's something I see myself doing. You don't want to get ahead of yourself, but that's what I'm working for. I want to have a great year as a team and an individual and hopefully move forward and play at the next level."
 
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