What Will The Falcons Get In James Pearce Jr.?

[ASFN Admin]

The Atlanta Falcons traded back into the first round of this year's NFL Draft to snag James Pearce Jr. from the Tennessee Volunteers with the 26th overall pick.

What will Pearce Jr. bring to the table in Atlanta? He brings a combination of size and speed. Pearce Jr. is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound edge rusher who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. In 2024, he was named First-Team All-SEC. He led the Vols with 7.5 sacks in 2024 and played in all 13 games. Pearce knows how to play around blocks to get into the pocket and is very explosive at the point of attack.

Atlanta had been very high on Pearce Jr. for a while now, but as the college football season progressed, his draft stock dipped quite a bit, placing him in the second round at one point. The Falcons gave up a couple of picks to choose him at number 26 while sliding into what was originally the Los Angeles Rams position. This pick played out exactly like it should have in Atlanta's favor.

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Newly drafted Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. of the Tennessee Vols during a game against Chattanooga


Pearce Jr's draft profile strengths and weaknesses are listed below from NFL.com/Prospects.

Strengths​

• Explosive first, second and third steps in his rush.
• Attacks a slow punch with a compact slap to open outside/inside edge.
• Creates big speed-to-power push despite a lack of mass and bend.
• Can beat half-man protection positioning in an efficient, linear track.
• Effective use of length to separate from and slink around blocks.
• Motor and balance make him hard to finish for run blockers.
• Twitchy punch and pull gets rid of tight ends in short order.
• Sudden tackler in tight quarters with a rangy burst for rundowns in space.

Weaknesses​

• Needs more mass and play strength for transition into pros.
• Lacks swipe strength to displace blocker’s hands once they are in.
• Pass rush can be knocked off-track by a firm punch.
• Tight hips makes it easier to guide him past the pocket.
• Struggles to break down quickly in space, allowing sacks to slip away.

Related: Falcons Select Notre Dame Safety Xavier Watts With 3rd Round Pick In NFL Draft

Related: Falcons Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich Is Not Looking To Gimmick On Defense​

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