NFL Mock Draft: ESPN drops James Pearce to late first round
ESPN’s latest two-round NFL mock draft has Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce dropping all the way down to the end of first round. Matt Miller on Monday had Pearce at No. 29 overall to the Washington Commanders.
Pearce was the fifth edge rusher off the board in Miller’s mock draft.
“Building around quarterback Jayden Daniels at wide receiver or on the offensive line would be a smart move,” Miller wrote, “but the Commanders have to plug up the defensive holes that led to a 32-point loss in the NFC Championship Game. Pearce is a speed rusher with legitimate burst off the snap, which led to 17.5 sacks and 92 pressures the past two seasons combined.
“He needs time to build up his lower body to better hold up in the run game, but he has a similar profile to the Eagles’ Nolan Smith Jr. and could be that type of early-impact player.”
James Pearce one of six EDGE prospects projected to be first-round picks
Penn State edge Abdul Carter was the No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans, Georgia’s Jalon Walker was the No. 8 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, Georgia’s Mykel Williams was the No. 15 pick to the Atlanta Falcons and Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart was the No .17 pick to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter was the No. 2 overall pick to the Cleveland Browns and Miami quarterback Cam Ward went to the New York Giants with the third pick.
Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was the No. 4 pick to the New England Patriots and Michigan cornerback Will Johnson was No. 5 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. A sixth edge rusher, Marshall’s Mike Green, was projected as the No. 31 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The hype over Pearce’s draft stock peaked in April, when Pro Football Focus named him a possible No. 1 pick. He was coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he had 10.0 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 28 sacks in 13 games.
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Pearce last season had 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 13 games, finishing strong after having just 0.5 tackles for loss and no sacks through the first three games of the season.
Over the last two years, Pearce has combined for 17.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss, with 66 tackles and one interception returned for a touchdown. He played in 39 games in three seasons with the Vols, recording 19.5 sacks, 30 tackles for loss and 71 tackles.
James Pearce ranked No. 4 at OLB by ESPN’s Mel Kiper
ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Pearce as the No. 4 outside linebacker on his NFL Draft big board, coming in behind Carter, Williams and Green. He didn’t have Pearce ranked in his top 25 draft prospects.
“Tennessee spent the early part of the season rolling its opponents,” Kiper wrote in December, “limiting Pearce to 56 snaps over the team’s first three games. But Pearce — who had 10 sacks in 2023 — has seen plenty of action of late.
“I see a lot of speed off the edge, and he does a nice job mixing up his pass-rush moves to keep offensive tackles on their heels. Pearce could still add weight to his frame. But even at 243 pounds, he shows the ability to win with power. And when asked to help in run defense, he has the quickness to make plays in lateral pursuit.”
