James Pearce Jr. faces questions about his NFL draft status after the Tennessee edge rusher’s production declined in 2024. Pearce recorded 7.5 sacks last season, down from 9.5 sacks in 2023.
The 6-foot-5, 242-pound defender entered 2024 as a potential first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His 2023 campaign included two forced fumbles and an interception alongside his team-leading sack total.
NFL teams have raised character concerns following Pearce’s December 2023 arrest during a traffic stop. The Knoxville Police Department charged him after he disobeyed police orders when stopped for driving 63 mph in a 35 mph zone.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network excluded Pearce from his latest first-round mock draft, though he didn’t specifically cite character issues for the omission.
Former Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge defended Pearce on social media:
“James Pearce doesn’t want to talk to the media. Or me. Or you. Dude just wants to play football and he’s elite at it. If I’m an NFL team, sign me up for the baller that just loves football. People calling that ‘character’ issues.”
Pearce will meet with NFL teams at next week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where he’ll participate in athletic testing and interviews.
Recent draft history shows mixed results for prospects with character concerns. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Georgia’s Jalen Carter after he fell in the 2023 draft. Carter became a key contributor in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run this season.
