Jaylon Joseph, Ja'Mair Diaz ready to boost Temple's edge rusher production

Jaylon Joseph’s loyalty literally can’t be explained.

Not even the senior edge rusher could explain it when asked about his unwavering loyalty to his former school, Lafayette College.

“I don’t know, honestly,”  Joseph said after Thursday’s spring practice when asked why he chose to remain at Lafayette for three seasons before transferring to Temple. “I mean, honestly, I probably stuck around for my brothers. I had brothers that I came in with as freshmen. We have been close since day one, and we all ended up leaving my junior year this past year. So I probably stayed around for them. But if I could go back, I would have probably left my freshman year.”

The 6-foot-2 hybrid defensive end/linebacker from Houston spent the first three seasons of his college career at Lafayette, where he finished his career as a Leopard with 71 tackles, 12.5 sacks, an interception, and three forced fumbles while being selected an All-Patriot League second-team performer in 2025. He was also a finalist for the 2023 Jerry Rice Award, one given to the top FCS freshman

When the time finally did come for Joseph to make the move to greener pastures, he picked the Owls over an offer from Utah State and canceled his other remaining visits as Temple wrapped up his transfer portal recruitment early in the process. 

“Temple was the best fit for me,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t like a change in position or anything. I was going to be doing the same thing I kind of have been already doing. So it was really a no-brainer. And I’m still in PA. I’m familiar with PA by now. I’ve been to Philly a couple of times before being offered by Temple. I kind of already knew Coach (Chris) Ratiano and all of them because they were at Rice in Texas previously.”

Outside linebackers coach Chris Ratiano’s influence in the recruiting cycle didn’t just pull in Joseph, but JaMair Diaz as well. The 6-foot-1 edge from Passaic, New Jersey, grew up just 45 minutes from Ratiano’s hometown of Hazlet, New Jersey.

Ironically enough, however, Diaz opted to join the Owls from Sam Houston State after spending two seasons at Division II Glenville State.

“I mean, it’s kind of funny because Jaylon’s from Houston but went to school in PA, and JaMair is from New Jersey but went to school in Houston,” Ratiano said. “So, a little flip-flop, but now he’s brought him back over here. But yeah, it’s just very exciting to have him here.”

Diaz played just four games for the Bearkats last season, recording 14 tackles with a sack and a 43-yard fumble recovery, contributing when he did see the field before suffering a season-ending injury.

Diaz, who played at running back at Passaic High School in North Jersey before a postgraduate season at Milford Academy, talked Thursday about his evolution as a player from his two seasons at Division II Glenville State to last season at Sam Houston before arriving at Temple. 

“I had good coaching at Sam Houston and now Coach Raitano is giving me tips to improve my win rate,” Diaz said. “I feel like I can win every rep and my confidence is going up.  Every year I’ve improved, and I keep improving. I went up (to the FBS level) and my skill went up.”

Through the first half of spring camp, Joseph and Diaz project to be the two starting outside linebackers for the Owls come Week 1, though changes are always building.

“Honestly, man, JaMair is a great dude,” Joseph said. “And I think that’s gonna be a great little one-two punch — and not just JaMair. I think that’s gonna be a one, two, three, four, five punch. Just everybody in that room. I feel like we are getting better every day with Coach Ratiano getting us right.”

Joseph never quite had that answer for why he stayed at Lafayette. At Temple, his purpose is starting to come into focus.

Entering his final year of eligibility, Joseph is projected to headline the Owls’ front seven, either coming off the strong side of the offensive line or dropping back to brick-wall tight ends or running backs. Both Joseph and Diaz could prove to be welcomed additions for a defense that produced just 15 sacks last season, the second-lowest total in the American Conference. 

“I mean, we always talk about it all the time, we got to be the heartbeat of the defense,” Ratiano said. “So, I mean, everything starts up front, especially on the edge, being able to set edges and build walls and try to contain that run game. And obviously, being on the edge and getting after the quarterback, because sacks will change games, TFLs will change games. So, just getting those guys ready to go and really putting that pressure on them as much as I can. There is no tomorrow — every play’s gotta matter. So I just try to create that Game 7 mentality in everything we do, even in practicing in drills, so they understand that pressure. And pressure makes diamonds — that’s who we are at Temple.”