2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee

Tennessee edge defender James Pearce Jr. was broadly thought-about the highest edge in a robust line of defense class when the 2024 season began. He was coming off of an SEC-leading 10.0 sack season that additionally noticed him rack up 15 tackles for a loss.

Nevertheless, he steadily slipped down draft boards over the course of the season when he didn’t fairly take the anticipated step in his growth and took a step again in manufacturing. Rumors additionally emerged from the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix that some groups have considerations concerning Pearce’s character.

These are, after all, rumors and we don’t have the sources to substantiate or dispel them right here. However it’s price acknowledging their existence.

So, the query may be whether or not groups take into account him to be a first-round prospect in any respect.

The New York Giants might be out there for a go rusher in the event that they let Azeez Ojulari stroll in free company. May Pearce be a steal for them if his character checks out?

Prospect: James Pearce Jr. (27)Video games Watched: vs. NC State (2024), vs. Oklahoma (2024), vs. Alabama (2024), vs. Georgia (2024)Crimson Flags: (rumored) character considerations

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.soccer

Strengths

Greatest traits

First step
General athleticism
Hand utilization
Cross rush

Pearce is an extended and athletic edge defender whose velocity off the sting permits him to be disruptive as each a run and go defender.

Pearce has strong size for the place at 6-foot-5 with 32 ¾ inch arms, which he combines with explosiveness and velocity for the place. He usually instances the snap effectively and is among the many first gamers transferring. He additionally has spectacular linear explosiveness, as evidenced by his 10-foot-3 broad soar and 1.58-second 10-yard cut up.

Whereas Pearce’s arms are shorter than ultimate for an edge defender, he has adequate method and hand utilization to permit him to play longer than he measures. He does a very good job of utilizing his personal palms to defeat blockers’ palms.

Pearce is a succesful run defender regardless of his body. He has strong hole self-discipline and understands the best way to put his hips within the gap to drive cutbacks. Likewise, he typically does a very good job of monitoring the ball within the backfield and has an instinctive really feel for taking pictures gaps to disrupt the play.

Lastly, Pearce is able to enjoying off-ball linebacker now and again. He does a very good job of getting depth along with his zone drops and can also be able to working with tight ends or working backs in protection.

He was additionally used to spy athletic quarterbacks now and again as effectively.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

Ankle stiffness
Mass
Energy

There are two main weaknesses in Pearce’s sport, neither of which he can do a lot about.

The primary is that he has a comparatively slender body for an edge defender. Whereas he doesn’t precisely lack play energy, he gained’t overpower offensive tackles and his lack of mass can restrict his anchor within the run sport. He may also battle to disengage or counter with energy if a blocker is prepared for his velocity off the sting.

Pearce additionally exhibits some stiffness in his ankles that limits his potential to hold his velocity when turning tight corners. If he’s pressured to bend a decent edge, he both has to sacrifice leverage and play larger to take care of his velocity or decelerate to keep away from shedding traction.

Sport Tape

(Pearce is the Tennessee edge defender sporting No. 27. )

Projection

Pearce Jr. tasks as a rotational go rusher in a a number of protection to begin his profession. That stated, he ought to be a starter early on, or maybe even straight away in the appropriate scenario.

Pearce would probably match greatest in a protection that makes use of “multiple” ideas of their defensive entrance, which might permit him to hurry from a two or three-point stance. He additionally provides upside to defenses that use extra unique blitz appears, as he can capably drop into protection to assist disguise strain packages. That might additionally permit him to assault the A, B, or D gaps, versus simply the C-gap, and mitigate the constraints imposed by his (slight) ankle stiffness.

Groups could also be hesitant to make use of Pearce as an every-down participant, not less than at first, because of his body and potential limitations defending the run. Pearce wants to have the ability to assault gaps as a run defender, and will battle in defenses that search to “build a fence” alongside the road of scrimmage. Nevertheless, his disruptiveness ought to make him tough to maintain off the sphere.

Does he match the Giants?Sure, pending character considerations

Closing Phrase: A primary spherical expertise