Former Tennessee OL Ramon Foster thinks Vols sophomore could be a first round draft pick in 2025
If you watched the Tennessee Vols' 41-20 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday night, you saw a star born on Shields-Watkins Field at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee sophomore edge rusher James Pearce put on a show against South Carolina, accounting for two sacks and nine quarterback pressures. He was named the SEC defensive lineman […]
If you watched the Tennessee Vols' 41-20 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday night, you saw a star born on Shields-Watkins Field at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee sophomore edge rusher James Pearce put on a show against South Carolina, accounting for two sacks and nine quarterback pressures. He was named the SEC defensive lineman of the week for his strong play against the Gamecocks.
On Tuesday morning, while discussing the Vols' win against South Carolina, 104.5 The Zone's Ramon Foster, a former Tennessee offensive lineman who now co-hosts Ramon, Kayla, and Will in Nashville, pointed out that Pearce could be going to the NFL after his junior season if he continues to play as well as he has to start the 2023 season (five sacks in five games).
"Y'all better enjoy James Pearce," said Foster. "Please enjoy him. He's got one more [season] and that kid is gone. That young man is probably teetering [as a] first round draft pick if he keeps this up."
"He is crushing it," added Foster, who saw plenty of talented pass rushers during his 11-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. "Getting after the quarterback in different ways, too. He's rushing from the right side, the left side. And just being able to just bulldoze through folks."
Pearce pretty much had his way against South Carolina's offensive line. If the Gamecocks wouldn't have called a bunch of quick passes to get the ball out of quarterback Spencer Rattler's hands quickly, Pearce may have ended up with four or five sacks on the night.
With former Vols pass rusher Byron Young moving on the NFL after the 2022 season (he's playing quite well with the Los Angeles Ram, by the way), it was imperative that a pass rusher step up for the Vols this season.
Pearce isn't the only pass rusher that's stepped up for Tennessee — Tyler Baron, who has proven to be a versatile defensive lineman, is also playing extremely well — but the sophomore from Charlotte, NC looks like he has the potential to be one of the best pass rushers in college football with the way he's played so far this season.
Having a player like Pearce leave for the NFL would be a great thing for Tennessee. For starters, it would mean that he was extremely productive for the Vols. It would also help Tennessee when it comes to recruiting elite edge defenders in the future (especially if he's a first round draft pick in 2025).
The Vols haven't had the start they wanted this season thanks to that loss to Florida. But it seems pretty clear that the program is still trending up under Josh Heupel.
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