Where Tennessee Vols edge rusher James Pearce lands in latest 2025 NFL mock draft from ESPN
ESPN revealed their latest 2025 NFL mock draft on Wednesday and they're still extremely high on Tennessee Vols junior edge rusher James Pearce. The former four-star recruit is coming off a breakout season in 2023 in which he totaled 10 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and an interception. Pearce has been projected by some media […]
ESPN revealed their latest 2025 NFL mock draft on Wednesday and they're still extremely high on Tennessee Vols junior edge rusher James Pearce.
The former four-star recruit is coming off a breakout season in 2023 in which he totaled 10 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and an interception.
Pearce has been projected by some media outlets as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. ESPN doesn't have him going No. 1 in their latest mock draft, but that's partially because they have the New York Giants trading up to No. 1 to draft a quarterback. Instead, ESPN has Pearce getting selected by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 2 overall pick.
From ESPN: Finishing with the second-worst record in the NFL would invite questions about whether the Panthers should pivot from Bryce Young, but I'm steadfast in my belief that he can be a high-level starter. Give it time. I'm looking elsewhere at No. 2 overall.
While the team added three notable edge rushers this year in free agency (Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum and K'Lavon Chaisson), none of them are signed beyond 2025. Plus, Clowney — the best of the bunch — is in his age-31 season as he tries to replace Brian Burns' production. Pearce has rare explosion off the edge with a lightning-quick first step. After posting 10 sacks in 2023, he has the highest upside of any pass rusher I've studied so far.
Landing with the Panthers would be a homecoming for Pearce, who is from Charlotte.
Of course, it's far too early to predict how the 2025 NFL Draft will go (though it seems likely that Carolina will be selecting near the top of the first round….that franchise set itself back several years thanks to their disastrous trade for the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2023).
Pearce has the talent to be a top five draft pick, but he'll have to put together another elite season if a team is going to invest a high draft selection in him.
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