ARLINGTON – Joshua Landry has dreamed of going to the NFL since a young age. He tried to play at four years old but was too young, so a friend of the family, John Gardley, allowed him to be a water boy for his Southside Raiders football team so Josh could be close to the game.
“I was born premature. I was old enough, but I was too small to play, so they didn’t want to let me play,” said Landry.
When he was five years old, Landry began playing football with the Southside Sharks in the Bayou Youth League. Following that, he played with the Pearland Texans in the Bay Area Youth Football League (BAYFL) before attending Pershing Middle School and later Lamar High School.
During his youth football years, Landry showcased versatility, occupying various positions, including quarterback, running back, tight end, and middle linebacker. However, upon entering high school, he transitioned to defensive end.
“I had two coaches, Coach Green and Coach Glapion. When I got to Lamar, the quarterback position was full and they told me the fastest way I was going to get on the field was to play defensive end. It was hard at first because you don’t get as much recognition playing along the defensive line. But I learned to adapt and make plays,” said Landry.
In January of 2016, Landry received his first offer from the University of Kansas. During his junior season, Landry was nominated first-team all-district.
“Being recognized felt good because it was my first year that I locked in and started taking football and the opportunities it presented seriously. I realized I had a chance to go to college and better my life,” said Landry.
As Landry stayed committed to improving his craft more offers began to come in. In February 2017 he received an offer from Baylor University, and on May 5, 2017, he committed to become a Baylor Bear.
“I chose Baylor over the other programs because of the bond I built with Coach Elijah Robinson, their defensive line coach. I also admired the brotherhood they had there,” said Landry.
In December of 2017, Landry took an official visit to Baylor and enrolled in June 2018. What looked like the end of a long journey would only be the beginning for Landry. Right before he got to Baylor, the defensive line coach who recruited him left the school for another job.
“That was a hard time because I went from being a main priority to the coach telling me I was not going to play my freshman year before I even touched the field. I was once again told I’m not big enough yet, so you not going to play,” said Landry.
This was frustrating news for Landry. One who selected Baylor as his school of choice to play his freshman year. Going from starting for most of his high school career to not playing at all was a mental challenge for Landry.
“On top of that, I had recently lost my grandpa earlier that year, so everything seemed to just be piling up and it had me in a dark spot,” said Landry. “My grandfather and my uncle were the two who pulled me to the side when I received my first offer and told me to straighten up, get my behavior and life on track, and take this football seriously because I had a chance to further my education through college.”
Landry only played two years while at Baylor University, but he stayed four years and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Health and Human Sciences.
“I chose that major because I’ve been around sports all my life and I wanted to stay around sports once I was done playing with the game,” said Landry.
With two years of eligibility left, Landry entered the portal and transferred to the University of Missouri.
“Coach Al Davis made me a priority and he made it clear that it wasn’t going to be any BS with the playing time. The best four in the rotation or the best five in the rotation was going to play,” said Landry.
Some may see the portal as a negative thing, but Landry sees both sides to it.
“The transfer portal gives players a second chance, a fresh start and room to go and make better relationships. However, for the high school athlete, it makes it tougher. Many coaches are running to get players from the portal because they’ve been in college and their bodies are more developed at the moment,” said Landry.
Landry’s plan moving forward is to either make an NFL roster or put his degree to good use.
“Make the squad and become a productive young man for the kids and for today’s society,” said Landry. My original goal was to become a high school coach or a physical therapist. So, if the league doesn’t work out, I’m going to pay it back to the kids and be somebody they can look up to.
Evolving from a youngster labeled too small, to initially facing doubts about playing at Baylor University, then successfully graduating and transferring to the University of Missouri, ultimately concluding his college career as a Cotton Bowl Champion, Landry shares valuable advice for current high school athletes facing challenges reminiscent of his own.
“Keep your head down and work. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. It’s going to be bumps in the road, a lot of them. But everybody’s path is different. You have to keep your head down and work. Don’t worry about the next man,” said Landry.
