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A look at James Pearce’s projected contract after 1st round selection

4A3DA472-0F39-4C89-9987-5851509375C0by:Matt Ray•04/24/25•

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James Pearce, Tennessee Football
KNOXVILLE, TN - September 09, 2023 - Defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. #27 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Austin Peay Governors and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Ian Cox/Tennessee Athletics

The Atlanta Falcons traded back into the first round at the 26th pick to draft Tennessee Volunteers EDGE Rusher James Pearce.

After selecting Jalon Walker at No.15 just 11 picks earlier, they wasted no time in adding another key defensive piece and gave up a number of picks, including a 2026 first round pick to secure Pearce.

Now, the Tennessee standout is set to get paid after his first round selection. We take a look at his projected contract, according to Spotrac.

Pearce’s rookie contract is projected over four years to have a value of $16,756,186.00. It is projected to include a significant signing bonus of $8,826,316.

Pearce becomes the first Vol selected in this year’s draft. He was the fourth pass rusher selected in the first round.

Pearce is coming off another strong season on Rocky Top, in which his efforts getting after the passer and making tackles for loss helped the Vols achieve the program’s first College Football Playoff berth.

In three seasons as a Vol, Pearce recorded 29.5 TFL’s, 19.5 sacks and a pick-six against Iowa in the bowl game. In 2023, Pearce burst on the scene with 14.5 TFL’s and 10 sacks. In 2024, Peace had 13 TFL’s and 7.5 sacks, and a huge forced fumble and recovery against Florida. 

The edge rusher was also credited with 43 quarterback hurries in 2024 by Pro Football Focus. 

Pearce did not have an affinity for the microphone during his time on Rocky Top, but in December, during a podcast appearance, he made his thoughts on Tennessee clear. 

“There ain’t no place like Tennessee. There’s no better place to be in my opinion,” Pearce said on the G.O.A.T. Farm Podcast. “The aura on campus is different when you have all teams winning. That’s what I’m saying there’s no better place to be. Everyone is winning. No one has their head down and everyone is feeling off each other. Everyone is tight.”

About this year’s NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24–26th in Green Bay, Wisconsin, right outside the legendary Lambeau Field. It’s the first time Green Bay has hosted the draft, and they’re turning the whole Titletown area into a football fan zone for the weekend.

The Draft opens on Thursday night, April 24th, with the first round kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. On Friday, April 25th, rounds two and three begin at 7 p.m. ET. The draft wraps up on Saturday, April 26th, with the final four rounds starting at noon ET.

If you’re looking to tune in, you’ve got plenty of ways to watch—NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes are all carrying the draft. Streaming options include NFL+, ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and Sling.

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