After a stellar sophomore campaign, Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has positioned himself to be among the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Pearce recorded more than one tackle for a loss in six games, including five SEC games, in 2024. He led all defensive lineman in the SEC with 8.5 sacks and tied for fifth place overall in the league with 13.0 tackles for a loss.Pro Football Focus College reports that is rated 86.7, which ranks 12th in the nation, and is the highest defensive end in the SEC this season.
The product of Charlotte, North Carolina, who has played in 26 games and had 10 career sacks and 16.5 tackles for a loss, is maybe the top pass rusher in college football heading into his junior season.
Over the course of the upcoming season, Pearce’s name will be inextricably linked to the top of the draft as predictions are made. As many who cover the draft start to turn their focus to the class of 2025, here’s where he stands right now.
As far as the quarterback cycle is concerned, the Panthers are once again poised to finish last in the NFL. They really brought this on themselves with the trades they made in order to advance for Bryce Young last season. In the event that the Panthers select first overall, they most likely have a quarterback problem, but no player in 2025 fits the profile of being the best pick overall. This would be a trade-back or a spot for Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr., the top edge-rusher in college football. Since Pearce is a native of Charlotte, the Panthers should enjoy this acquisition; he might develop into their next Julius Peppers.
“In his second season at Tennessee, Pierce added 53 pressures and led the SEC in sacks with 10. This player has the makings of a great pass-rusher.”
“The Panthers get Pearce as their next athletic edge rusher after dealing away Brian Burns. The sophomore’s 92.4 pass-rush grade and 21.3% pressure rate placed him third among college football edge defenders. The most concerning aspect is that he defeated SEC tackles nearly entirely with his athleticism. Be cautious if Pearce continues to hone his pass-rushing skills.”
“Pearce concluded the previous season with 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss as a true sophomore in the SEC. At 21.8%, he tied with Jared Verse for the sixth-best pass-rush win percentage in the nation and outperformed Dallas Turner in this year’s class, according to PFF. Pearce is a freak athlete with an incredible ability to translate speed into power at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds.”
“To help Bryce Young, the Carolina Panthers have taken a lot of off-season action. However, Brian Burns, their top pass-rusher, may have suffered as a result of his sale to the Giants.
Although the Panthers did sign D.J. Wonnum and Jadeveon Clowney during the free agency period, Spotrac notes that both players signed two-year contracts that could expire after this season. It would have been wise to select James Pearce Jr. with the first overall choice; according to Pro Football Focus, he would have been the best edge defender if he had been eligible this year.
“The sophomore’s 21.3 percent pressure rate ranked third among all edge defenders, as did his 92.4 pass-rush grade,” PFF’s Max Chadwick said. “Pearce ended the season as the fourth-most valuable Power Five edge defender, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric.”
“The Panthers did a solid job of building around Bryce Young on his side of the ball this offseason, but next year, the defense will need reloading.”
This year, a record 14 offensive players were selected before the first defender’s name was called. Thanks in large part to Pearce, there is minimal possibility that a situation similar to this one will arise in 2025. He is long, explosive, and loose at 6-5 and 242 pounds, which makes him a very dangerous opponent off the edge.
The Broncos somewhat shelved their pass rush this season in favor of quarterback Bo Nix, who they selected with their first-round choice. Denver would have a potentially strong presence in Pearce, leading a group that has largely been allowed to attempt to scrape by.
“On last year’s film, Pearce had some entertaining pass-rush repetitions, particularly against South Carolina and Texas A&M. Despite his slight build (6 feet 5 inches, 245 pounds), he possesses incredible skill and could finish in the top 10 with another successful season.”
“In 2023, Pearce finished second in the SEC with 15 tackles for loss and led the conference with 10 sacks. Pearce, who is 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds according to the Vols, has a lanky, lean build that can support an additional 10 to 15 pounds without losing his signature burst and bend off the edge.”
“In 2023, Pearce finished second in the SEC with 15 tackles for loss and led the conference with 10 sacks. Pearce, who is 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds according to the Vols, has a lanky, lean build that can support an additional 10 to 15 pounds without losing his signature burst and bend off the edge.”
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