James Pearce’s draft stock has fallen back to late in the first round in recent months, but that could provide him an opportunity to play for a Super Bowl contender early into his professional career in the same way that former Georgia players Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith have impacted the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
ESPN’s Field Yates posted his latest two-round NFL Mock Draft this week with Pearce projected to go 27th overall to the Ravens. Baltimore was second in the NFL in team sacks last year with 54 and could keep the momentum rolling by adding one of the freakiest EDGE rushers coming out of the college level.
“With the Ravens looking for more pass-rush juice, Pearce’s wait ends here,” Yates writes. “He entered this past season as a potential top-10 pick and has some of the most effortless movement skills of any pass rusher in this class. He ran a 4.47-second 40 and can really bend the edge, too. But his lack of consistency last season resulted in a stock drop. The Ravens could capitalize by landing Pearce and his considerable upside late in the first round.”
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Considering Pearce was once looked at as a potential Top 10 prospect, the Ravens (or any other contender in the final quarter of the first round) would be smart to push in their chips and add the junior from Tennessee. Baltimore is undoubtedly an early Super Bowl contender before the draft even begins, too.
Pearce racked up 23 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 38 total tackles for Tennessee last season. The former Vol was 10th in the SEC in sacks.
Tennessee has had 13 players drafted in the Josh Heupel Era, including EDGE rusher Byron Young to the Rams in 2023 and defensive lineman Matthew Butler to the Raiders in 2022. James Pearce Jr. is hoping to become the Vols’ 14th draftee in the Heupel era and Tennessee’s 363rd drafted player overall.
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place on April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Check out Field Yates’ full two-round mock draft for ESPN here.
