Falcons’ James Pearce, Jr. finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, but he’ll have to buck the odds to win it
The former Tennessee Vol had a terrific rookie season for Atlanta.
Former Tennessee and current Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce, Jr. has had quite the rookie season in the NFL. And it appears his efforts didn’t go unnoticed this year.
Pearce, Jr. was named as an AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award finalist by the league on Thursday. He joins Cleveland LB Carson Schwesinger, New York Giants EDGE Abdul Carter, Seattle S Nick Emmanwori, and Atlanta teammate Xavier Watts as finalists.
Pearce, Jr. put himself in position by leading all rookies in arguably the most important defensive statistic – sacks – but he finds himself trailing in the odds to claim the award nonetheless.
Former Tennessee EDGE James Pearce, Jr. trails Cleveland LB Carson Schwesinger in NFL DROY odds
While the odds aren’t listed on the major sportsbooks’ websites (BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel) as of Thursday morning, VegasInsider.com shows Pearce, Jr. as second in odds to Schwesinger and third in some books to Emmanwori.
Schwesinger certainly earned his consideration as a favorite. A second-round pick last April by the Browns, he made an immediate impact off the bat with 157 combined tackles (sixth in the NFL), 2.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and two interceptions in 16 games.
However, Pearce, Jr. did what no rookie had done since Micah Parsons in 2021- reach double-digits sacks with 10.5. He outpaced his Falcons teammate and fellow first-round pick Jalon Walker (5.5 sacks) in the category. Sacks tend to move the needle with the voters.
We’ll find out on Thursday, February 8, when the full list of NFL award winners is revealed.
