The college football season is just weeks away, making it the perfect time to spotlight rising stars. This segment will feature Tennessee Volunteers’ fearless edge rusher James Pearce Jr., an athlete who may just be the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Pearce Jr. came onto the college football scene a season ago when the 6-foot-5 240 pound edge defender displayed his explosiveness and overpowering abilities. After completing a very successful high school career that saw the young defender capture 14.5 sacks and two interceptions as a senior, Pearce Jr. went on to commit to play college football at the University of Tennessee.

While it may be rare to see an incoming freshman play meaningful snaps early on in their career, Pearce Jr. played in all thirteen games as a true freshman and showed signs that he is indeed the real deal. In 2023, the 20-year-old ranked third in the SEC for sacks and finished with 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception. His dominant play would list him as a First-team All-SEC candidate and this upcoming season he is poised for a breakout season.

Pro Football Focus ranked Pearce Jr. as their top returning edge defenders for the 2024 season. Author Max Chadwick mentioned just how ‘fearsome’ he has become and how he could end up becoming the number one overall selection in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft if the quarterback class is as weak as advertised.

Pearce became one of the most fearsome pass rushers in college football this past season. The sophomore’s 21.3% pressure rate ranked third among all edge defenders in the country, as did his 92.4 pass-rush grade. Pearce ended the season as the fourth-most-valuable Power Five edge defender, according to PFF’s wins above average metric.

He has freakish explosiveness at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, and he converts speed to power at an elite level. With the 2025 NFL Draft looking like it’ll feature a weaker quarterback class, there’s a real chance that Pearce could be the No. 1 overall pick.

Pearce Jr.’s Collegiate Statistics:

2022: 5 Total Tackles (3 Solo, 2 Assisted), 2 Sacks

2023: 27 Total Tackles (18 Solo, 9 Assisted), 9.5 Sacks, 2 Forced Fumbles, 1 INT

2024: TBD

A struggling NFL franchise that has the opportunity to draft Pearce Jr. will not regret it. The young defender will look to improve on his sack total this season and solidify himself as one of the best edge defenders in the entire nation.

Pearce Jr. will be a college football player to watch in 2024 and someone who can instantly impact a future NFL organization instantly. Look for the third year athlete to dominant when the Volunteers play Chattanooga on August 31st at 12:45 p.m.