Vols' EDGE James Pearce selected in 2025 NFL Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft is underway, and Tennessee standout EDGE James Pearce Jr. is officially off the board in the 1st round after being selected with the No. 26 pick by the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons traded back into the first round after picking Jalon Walker with the No. 15 pick earlier in the round.
Pearce becomes the first Volunteer selected in this draft, and he 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, Pearce had 13 TFL’s and 7.5 sacks, and a huge forced fumble and recovery against Florida.
Pearce 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.”
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More about the 2025 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.
Tennessee has several players eligible for this year’s draft, including Dylan Sampson, Dont’e Thornton, Omarr Norman-Lott, Cooper Mays, and James Pearce.
