Key Tennessee Vols player named a pre-season All-American by Pro Football Focus
One of the Tennessee Vols' most important players was named this week by Pro Football Focus as an All-American ahead of the 2024 season. PPF listed Vols edge rusher James Pearce on their "way-too-early" All-American team on Tuesday. From PFF: Not only will Pearce likely be the first edge rusher drafted next April, but he could […]
One of the Tennessee Vols' most important players was named this week by Pro Football Focus as an All-American ahead of the 2024 season.
PPF listed Vols edge rusher James Pearce on their "way-too-early" All-American team on Tuesday.
From PFF: Not only will Pearce likely be the first edge rusher drafted next April, but he could also be the first player drafted altogether.
The 6-foot-5 true junior is as physically gifted as defensive ends come, bringing all the potential in the world to Tennessee's defensive line. His 93.5 PFF pass-rushing grade on true pass sets in 2023 ranked second to only Laiatu Latu, while his 21.8% pass-rush win rate ranked sixth.
It's certainly not a surprise to see Pearce included on PFF's All-American team. The future first round NFL Draft pick is a dominant game-changing force for the Volunteers. In addition to punishing quarterbacks, the Charlotte native commands extra attention from opposing offensive lines, which creates opportunities for Vols pass rushers not named James Pearce (even when he's drawing double-teams, he still has a massive impact on the game).
The presence of Pearce is one of several reasons why Tennessee has a legitimate chance to reach the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024.
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