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Tennessee football edge rushers 2022 preview: Vols’ biggest defensive advantage

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee’s Byron Young is seen at Tennessee football spring practice at University of Tennessee, Thursday, March 24, 2022.Volspractice0324 0850
Tennessee’s Byron Young is seen at Tennessee football spring practice at University of Tennessee, Thursday, March 24, 2022.Volspractice0324 0850 /
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Tennessee Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator Coach Mike Ekeler at the Orange & White spring game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, April 24, 2021.Kns Vols Spring Game
Tennessee Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator Coach Mike Ekeler at the Orange & White spring game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, April 24, 2021.Kns Vols Spring Game /

Newcomers at edge rusher

James Pearce Jr.

  • 6’5″ 220 pounds
  • Freshman
  • Charlotte, N.C.

There was a wide range of recruiting ratings for James Pearce Jr. in the offseason. He was as low as a three-star on ESPN, but he was a four-star on Rivals and 247Sports, and On3 even gave him a five-star rating. Simply put, he brings a lot of potential to Tennessee football as an edge rusher and gives Mike Ekeler a rare talent to work with.

Now, Pearce is listed as just a defensive lineman, but it’s clear given his frame that he’s more of an edge rusher or a linebacker. In fact, he’s got the size of an outside linebacker. He wasn’t an early enrollee, but he still should be able to make an impact and bring more depth to the position this year, a huge deal for the group.

Joshua Josephs

  • 6’3″ 215 pounds
  • Freshman
  • Kennesaw, Ga. (North Cobb High School)

Another player with a wide range who was not an early enrollee and is listed purely as a defensive lineman on the roster, Joshua Josephs was a four-star on 247Sports and On3 but a three-star on Rivals and ESPN. As a result, he heads to Rocky Top with slightly less hype than Pearce, but he still has a similar profile in general.

Like Pearce, Josephs has a chance to work his way into the rotation this year, and he certainly provides more depth. Now, both of them have to put on some weight to truly fit in as edge rushers in this system, but they certainly add help to a group that was elite but needed more.

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