2025 NFL Combine: Simulcam overlays impressive James Pearce Jr. 40-yard dash vs. Saquon Barkley, Eagles stars
One prospect at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine who’s blessed with tantalizing tools is edge rusher James Pearce Jr. And let’s just say, he didn’t disappoint on Thursday, clocking in with a blazing 4.47 40-yard dash time. Right now, that time is unofficial. Shortly after he clocked his time, NFL Network ran a simulcam video with Saquon Barkley and AJ Brown running alongside Pearce.
It’s impressive and displays the freakish type of athleticism the former Tennessee Volunteer is blessed with. Here’s the video of his 4.47 40-yard dash time with the simulcam from NFL Network.
During his career at Tennessee, Pearce made his presence felt as a consistent disruptor for the Volunteers. He earned first team All-SEC honors twice in his career. Not only that, Pearce became the first Volunteer defensive linemen to earn back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors since College Football Hall of Famer John Henderson did it from 2000-2001.
He wrapped up his career with 71 tackles (44 solo), 29.5 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, one interception for a touchdown, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Pearce tallying 19.5 career sacks tied him with Darrell Taylor for the 10th most in Volunteer program history. According to Pro Football Focus, he generated 113 quarterback pressures in three seasons in Knoxville. He finished his career playing in 39 career games with 12 starts.
His junior season this year (2024), Pearce played in all 13 games, generating 55 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. That ranked him second in the SEC and 12th in college football among edge rushers. He finished with 38 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries. Pearce ranked 10th in the SEC for both tackles for loss and sacks.
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The best season of his college career with Tennessee came in 2023 (sophomore year), when he firmly cemented himself as the top edge rusher in the SEC. Pearce earned first team All-SEC honors after he racked up 28 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries, one interception for a touchdown, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He tied for the SEC lead in sacks and ranked second in the league in tackles for loss. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the SEC’s highest graded defensive end at 90.9, which ranked fourth in all of college football.
As a freshman, he played in all 13 games during his freshman year, racking up five tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks.
According to the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2022 cycle, Pearce was tabbed as a four-star prospect and the No. 137 overall player in America. He played his high school football at Chambers High School (Charlotte, North Carolina), where he shined. Pearce helped guide Chambers to four straight North Carolina Class 4A State Championship Games, including back-to-back state titles in 2019 and 2020. As a senior, he racked up 14.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two safeties, and two interceptions.