Updating the NFL Draft stock for Tennessee's James Pearce
The NFL Draft stock for James Pearce isn’t currently quite as high as it was during the spring and summer, but Tennessee’s star pass rusher is still flirting with hearing his name called in the top ten.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Field Yates had Pearce at No. 11 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals in a recent mock draft.
“Pick an area on defense and it could make sense here,” Yates wrote. “Other than Trey Hendrickson’s dominant season, this team has disappointed on that side of the ball, posting the second-worst defensive efficiency in the NFL ahead of only the Panthers. The pass rush has been especially poor, as Hendrickson’s 12.5 sacks account for more than half of Cincinnati’s total of 24 (tied for second worst).
“Pearce has an exceptional first step and the kind of acceleration off the edge that translates to the NFL. He leads the FBS in pressure rate at an incredible 19.8% this season and has piled up 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons.”
Pro Football Focus projected James Pearce as possible No. 1 overall pick in April
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.
Pearce this 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.
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Over the last two seasons, 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.
Mel Kiper on James Pearce: ‘I see a lot of speed off the edge’
ESPN’s Mel Kiper last updated his NFL Draft big board on December 16, ranking Pearce at No. 24 overall and No. 3 among outside linebackers, behind Penn State’s Abdul Carter and Georgia’s Mykel Williams.
“Tennessee spent the early part of the season rolling its opponents,” Kiper wrote, “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.”
