Meet the football standout from Moorestown who could become the next WWE superstar

HOUSTON — At first, Rice linebacker Josh Pearcy thought the Instagram message was fake. It couldn’t possibly be a recruiter from World Wrestling Entertainment. Right?

Wrong.

After an interview process over the summer, the former Moorestown High star and current captain of his college team was signed to Next In Line, WWE’s name, image, and likeness arm that offers a “pathway” from college sports to professional wrestling. Pearcy is among 14 members of the fourth class and the first Philadelphia-area native signed to the program.

“You never know where life will take you,” said Pearcy, a redshirt junior. “Just to have the opportunity to pursue it is a blessing.”

Pearcy was a WWE fan growing up and especially enjoyed watching the likes of John Cena, Jeff Hardy, and CM Punk. He focused on football as he got older, but staying fit, eating right, and keeping a routine always remained important to him.

That’s a great head start to becoming a WWE superstar, and Joe Spivak would know. The walk-on defensive lineman who became a captain at Northwestern was part of the inaugural Next In Line class and now, known as Tank Ledger, is on the WWE NXT roster. Of the 60 college athletes (sophomores, juniors, and seniors) signed to Next In Line since 2021, Spivak is one of seven who have signed a full-time developmental contract. He joined likes of Roman Reigns, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who have gone from college sports to WWE.

“A resounding thing I hear from so many athletes [is] how refreshing it is to be a beginner again,” Spivak said. “You’re going from top-level, Power 5 college athletics … to being a complete beginner in an industry that takes a lifetime to maybe coming close to mastering. That is one of the hardest things, but it also is one of the most refreshing and fulfilling things, is being a beginner again.”

Before Pearcy continued WWE’s process, however, he wanted to make sure he could pursue his NFL dreams. He was assured that he could pursue wrestling after his football career ended. Spivak followed a similar path — after Northwestern, he worked out with the Chicago Bears before beginning his pro wrestling career.

“It’s really, truly the pinnacle of NIL and a benchmark of what NIL can be,” Spivak said. “NIL should be about building relationships, building something professional for college athletes, and building something for college athletes to step into after their playing careers are over. … I was dreaming about being a WWE superstar a few years ago, and my NFL dream kind of fizzled out, and less than two years later, I’m on TV.”

Like other prospective wrestlers, there’s a tryout process that involves performance testing, in-ring work, and medical screenings, said Trent Wilfinger, WWE’s vice president of talent ID and development. He and his team pivoted toward recruiting from colleges about two years ago and seek charismatic, dynamic athletes who also perform at a high level.

“When that camera comes on, who can turn it on, connect with their audience, and really take it to the next level?” Wilfinger said.

At 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, Pearcy has an ideal frame for a wrestler, but his team captaincy also stood out to WWE, Wilfinger said.

“We’ve got 120-plus athletes down in Orlando, it’s kind of our locker room,” he said. “We like the idea of good cultural fits. We like individuals who bring solid leadership down to our performance center. Thinking about his passions and talking with him about the next stage of his career, whether that was the NFL or getting into the fitness training world, you could tell he wanted to continue something athletic in his future.”

Right now, though, Pearcy is focused on the Owls’ ongoing season and staying in shape. Rice (6-6) takes on Texas State in the First Responder Bowl on Tuesday (5:30 p.m., ESPN) at SMU’s stadium in University Park, Texas.

He says the best part of the Next In Line program has been getting to know an industry with which he hadn’t been familiar. Wilfinger said the Next In Line athletes have the opportunity to meet talent, visit the performance center, and attend shows.

“Being able to learn from different people, like what do they do, how do they work, how do they structure their days, how do they get better at what they do?” Pearcy said. “Being able to expand my network and learn from new people is what I’m most excited about.”

Pearcy doesn’t have a ring name yet — he and his teammates will try out intro songs in the locker room — and is weighing coming back for another year of college football vs. declaring for the NFL draft. But first is the Owls’ bowl game.

As for a persona, Spivak encourages authenticity, and Pearcy has options. He hopes to blend his roots as a “Jersey kid” with the Southern flair he picked up in college and from his mom, Yvette. It has shaped who he is as a football player — and person, too.

“It’s a meritocracy in sports,” he said. “You’re going to get what you work for. You get out of it what you put in.

“When you think of football, everyone wants to say Texas or Cali or Georgia, Florida, but Philly and Jersey, we’ve got dogs, too. We’ve got some players, too. So playing with that chip on your shoulder, like, ‘Hey, we can play with anybody,’ that’s where that grittiness and that work ethic comes from.”