The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Ohio State safety Josh Proctor plans on taking full advantage. Proctor recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Proctor also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, playing interchangeable roles as a versatile safety, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Proctor better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Josh Proctor: I was actually at school back at Ohio State. The coaching staff had the Reese’s Senior Bowl box waiting for me in my locker after practice. I was so excited. I’ve been working hard for this for a very long time. I felt like it was something I had been shooting for throughout the entire 2023 season.
JM: You certainly earned it. What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Josh Proctor: I wanted a chance to showcase myself on the biggest pre-draft stage. I’m never going to back down from a challenge. I want to compete against the best seniors in the nation. The Senior Bowl is giving me that opportunity. I love to compete. I’m the ultimate competitor.
JM: Getting a bit more specific, what are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Josh Proctor: I want to show everybody that I’m a player that’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. I work extremely hard. I’m a team-first player. I love the game of football. That always comes first.
JM: So if you were writing your own scouting report, how would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Josh Proctor: I would say I’m a physical and fast player. I play sideline to sideline. I’m extremely rangy. I love to tackle. I’m a vocal leader when it comes time to step on that football field. I love motivating my teammates and getting them fired up.
JM: We love that. If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL safety, who would you choose and why?
Josh Proctor: That’s a tough question. If we’re talking play style, I’d probably say Derwin James. You can put me on the back end and play single high. I can come downhill and play inside the box as well. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to play hard and make a play either way. I play hard every single rep. I pour my all into every single play.
JM: As a safety in today’s pass-happy NFL, how important is it for you to be interchangeable with your safety partner, to complement each other’s skill sets and vice versa?
Josh Proctor: It’s very important. Everybody has to be on the same page for the back end of a defense to function appropriately. Communication is key. Everybody has to know their job. That’s how a defense comes together.
When you’re playing on the back end with a safety partner you’re comfortable with, somebody you know is going to do what they need to do, we’re going to come out with a win on that rep.
JM: You had a career-high nine pass breakups this past season. You leave Ohio State with three career interceptions. What led to the uptick in ball production, and how can you turn more of those PBUs into takeaways moving forward?
Josh Proctor: Breaking down film with better success is what led to more pass breakups for me in 2023. I got into the film room with my coaching staff. We talked through different offenses and concepts. We noticed certain tells in different schemes and whatnot.
Improving on takeaways? I just have to catch the ball (laughs). A lot of those are self-explanatory. I have to focus on making those plays when they come my way. I have to take better advantage of those opportunities.
JM: What’s on Josh Proctor’s pre-game playlist?
Josh Proctor: My pregame playlist? I’m a big Nipsey Hussle guy. He motivates me. He’s someone I’ve been listening to since I was in middle school. I feel like I relate to him. That’s one artist that’s always on my playlist. The first time I started listening to him, I still haven’t stopped. I even got my mom to listen to him (laughs).
JM: ”Victory Lap” is a classic album. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Josh Proctor?
Josh Proctor: It means I came out with a win and had a lot of fun throughout the course of the week. I’m going to create those relationships with some of the players and coaches I’ll eventually end up playing alongside in the NFL. That’s the biggest takeaway I want to exit a successful week with.
