"Sideline-to-Sideline Speed, Explosive Power and Bone-Rattling Physicality"

Josh Duerksen

@Josh_Duerksen5

5'11, 210lbs, Class of 2027

Heston HS, KS

First and foremost, Josh gives all the glory and honor to God, because he knows the athletic ability, opportunities, and position he stands in today wouldn't be possible without Him. He's thankful for every gift God has blessed him with, and he wants the Man Upstairs to receive the praise before a single tackle, stat, award, or accomplishment is mentioned. That foundation sits behind an electric, explosive linebacker who combines blazing sideline-to-sideline speed with power, fierce physicality, sharp instincts, and the ability to arrive at the football with bad intentions. Josh can chase down plays in space, explode downhill into traffic, deliver bone-crushing hits, and use his athleticism to affect action from one boundary to the other, while his competitive fire and leadership give his teammates somebody they can count on when the game gets tough.

Josh's junior season was the year all of that work began turning into undeniable production, as he exploded from a role player into a defensive force who finished with 107 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, and a pick-six. His performance earned him First Team All-League and First Team All-State Non-Senior honors, but his favorite moment came through what his entire defense accomplished together. Their playoff victory and shutout against Wichita Trinity remain unforgettable because Josh watched his team completely take control and keep the opponent off the scoreboard when everything was on the line. On an individual level, the season represented his breakthrough after working relentlessly from week to week, playing his heart out every Friday, and eventually seeing the numbers, recognition, and college offers begin to follow the work he'd already put into becoming better.

The biggest improvement wasn't just physical because Josh saw his football IQ rise while learning to trust his instincts instead of hesitating on what his eyes were telling him. As his understanding of offenses grew, the game began slowing down mentally while his actual play became faster, allowing him to diagnose action, attack openings, and arrive at the football with greater consistency. He studies guards during games and digs into their tendencies throughout the week, using film preparation to identify clues that can give him an advantage before the ball ever moves. Countless conversations and film sessions with his coaches, including linebacker coach and defensive coordinator Coach Hagaman, have helped Josh understand the new defense, master his responsibilities, and recognize how his assignment connects with everything happening around him.

Then there are the physical tools, and those numbers reveal exactly why Josh can be such a problem in the middle of a defense. His 545-pound squat, 335-pound bench, and 335-pound clean provide the raw force behind his physical style, while a 38.3-inch vertical, 10-foot broad jump, and 4.57-second 40-yard dash show the explosive athleticism packed into that strength. Track has helped unlock another gear in his speed and burst, giving him even greater range to hunt down ball carriers and erase space before an offense can fully develop the play. When that combination of speed, strength, explosion, preparation, and growing football IQ comes together, Josh can attack downhill like a hammer while still having the wheels to chase action stretching toward the sideline.

His road has also included injuries and setbacks that forced him to deal with moments when his body wouldn't allow him to perform at the level he knew he could reach. Those stretches tested his patience and discipline, but they also taught him how to continue working when improvement wasn't immediately visible. Josh came away mentally tougher and with a greater appreciation for every practice, workout, rep, and game because he understands how quickly an opportunity can disappear. Instead of allowing adversity to weaken his approach, he used it to strengthen the mindset behind everything he does and create an even greater hunger to maximize every chance football gives him.

That hunger has been all over his offseason, where getting healthy was only the beginning of the mission. Josh attacked his speed and explosiveness, lowered his 40-time, increased his vertical, and spent extra hours on the football field with coaches and teammates willing to chase improvement with him. Jerick Humphreys and Eli Haug have been right there for extra work, while his father has remained one of the biggest forces behind his development and preparation. One of their conditioning methods says plenty about the mentality being built behind the scenes, as his dad rolls down the car windows and has Josh push the vehicle, creating a brutal challenge that might not feel enjoyable while it's happening but continues adding another layer of toughness to an already powerful linebacker.

What fuels Josh is the challenge of proving to himself that he belongs at the highest level he can reach and watching all those unseen hours eventually show themselves under the lights. A coach can expect maximum effort, leadership by example, a burning desire to win, and a middle linebacker who takes ownership of communicating and controlling the defense around him. Being banged up doesn't change the standard he expects from himself because his teammates, coaches, and community are getting everything he has on every snap. He wants the responsibility that comes with standing in the middle of the defense, and he embraces being the one who communicates, directs traffic, reads what is coming, and then attacks it with relentless force.

The goals for his senior season are to bring home a state championship along with a talented roster that Josh believes has everything necessary to make a serious run. Individually, he is chasing more than 120 tackles, unanimous First Team All-League recognition, and First Team All-State honors, but those accomplishments sit behind the larger mission of winning together. Josh has already shown what happens when his athletic gifts collide with preparation and confidence, and now another year of improved speed, stronger instincts, deeper knowledge, and relentless training is ready to hit the field. Expect him to fly from sideline to sideline, explode through gaps, command the middle, punish ball carriers, and play every snap with the fierce edge of a linebacker who knows exactly what he is chasing and exactly who gave him the ability to chase it.

I assess that Josh Duerksen brings a rare collection of measurable athletic tools to linebacker, blazing speed with tremendous lower-body force, violent closing burst, impressive leaping ability, and the range to cover ground in a hurry. His ability to study offensive tendencies and key guards allows those gifts to show up even quicker because he's not just reacting after the action develops. He can pursue outside runs, trigger into interior lanes, create collisions at the point of attack, and use his acceleration to finish plays that appear headed away from him. His playmaking ability makes his impact go beyond traditional work inside the box.

Josh enters the upcoming season with an opportunity to become the heartbeat of a championship-level defense through command, anticipation, consistency, and complete ownership of the middle. His continued growth in processing formations and recognizing blocking concepts should allow him to diagnose faster and put himself in position to disrupt action before it gains momentum. The next progression will come through turning his preparation into dominant week-to-week performances while carrying the responsibility that comes with his increased expectations and expanding college attention. With his competitive edge, disciplined preparation, dependable communication, proven production, and willingness to sacrifice for the men beside him, Josh has everything in front of him to make his senior season his biggest statement yet. Stay tuned.