1/18/2024 football Edit

ESPN names James Pearce Jr. top EDGE in 2025 NFL Draft class

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) fumbles the ball as Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) trails him, during a football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Ryan Sylvia • VolReport

Assistant Managing Editor

Born in Knoxville, Tenn. and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Covering football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and recruiting for VolReport.

Tennessee has a future NFL star on its roster next season.

Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. had a breakout sophomore campaign in 2023 and is projected to be one of the first players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.

ESPN's Matt Miller recently ranked him as the No. 1 edge rusher in the class and included a nugget on what a particular NFL scout had to say on the Vol.

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"An AFC West scout who covers the conference told me Pearce would be the first defensive player drafted in the 2024 class if he were draft-eligible," said Miller in his article on ESPN.

This is high praise considering the immense amount of talent not only in Pearce's class but the upcoming 2024 draft, as well.

Pearce is coming off a season where he recorded 27 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pick-six. This resulted in All-SEC First Team honors from AP and coaches across the conference. He earned a pair of SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week awards in the season, as well.

Byron Young of the Rams has already laid the foundation for LEOs in Tennessee's system seeing success at the next level. He was selected in the third round of the 2023 draft and finished the year with 31 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.

Now, Pearce has the chance to take the next step as a junior and cement himself toward the top of NFL draft boards.

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