The countdown continues to get shorter for the 2025 NFL Draft to get here. Multiple Tennessee Vols football playmakers are ready to hear their names called, with pass-rusher James Pearce Jr. set to be the first UT star taken off the board.
Not long ago, Pearce was hoping to be a Top 15 pick. However, his draft stock has taken a bit of a tumble this offseason and he's now a fringe first-round target. In his last NFL Mock Draft, Mel Kiper Jr. has Pearce sliding to No. 32 overall, the last pick for Round 1.
That's the bad news. The good news? The reigning champs hold that spot. That's right, the Philadelphia Eagles hold pick No. 32 and that's where Kiper has Pearce going. Adding him to an impressive pass-rush would be unreal for the NFC East powerhouse:
My guy @MelKiperESPN has dropped his final mock draft. A two-rounder for the people: https://t.co/qJY3kXI7ey
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 8, 2025
James Pearce Jr. lands with the Eagles in Mel Kiper Jr.'s final Mock Draft
The defending Super Bowl champs lost some key parts of their defense in free agency, including edge rusherJosh Sweat," Kiper wrote. "Being able to get after the quarterback is important for Vic Fangio's defense, and there's a glaring void now on the edge. There are mixed opinions around the league on whether Pearce is a first-rounder, but he has the traits to develop into a speedy disruptor in the right system. He had 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons and ranked second in the nation in pressure rate last season (19.0%)."
In 2023, Pearce was a force off the edge for head man Josh Heupel, posting 9.5 sacks. Leading up to the 2024 campaign, some analysts had him pegged as a potential Top 10 pick. This past season, Pearce was still strong, finishing with 7.5 sacks.
The big concern for him has been 'character issues' that have been brought up in recent months. This news came as a total surprise for Vols fans, as Pearce had been nothing short of a fantastic teammate while suiting up in Knoxville.
There was hope that maybe he'd come back for one more season with Tennessee, but when the NFL comes calling, it's tough to not pick up. Soon enough, we'll see where Pearce gets taken off the board. If he does slip a little in Round 1, but lands with the Eagles, that would be considered a win for him.