Former Tennessee EDGE rusher James Pearce Jr. was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Atlanta acquired the pick from a multi-pick trade with the Los Angeles Rams.
While some rumors swirled this week of a potential fall to the second round, Pearce gives the Falcons an explosive player to get after the quarterback.
Pearce is now Tennessee’s 388th all-time NFL Draft pick (dating back to 1936) and the 14th pick of the Josh Heupel era in Knoxville.
The 6-foot-5 lineman outkicked his projection with the 26th selection after being ranked as the No. 33 overall prospect according to Daniel Jeremiah’s big board rankings. Pearce racked up 17 sacks, three forced fumbles, 65 total tackles, and one interception in his last two seasons with the Vols.
From Neyland to the Nest!@JamesPearceJr10 ➡️ @AtlantaFalcons
Round 1 | Pick 26#NFLDraft | #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/NTn56dFcod
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) April 25, 2025
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Pearce is the first first-round pick from Tennessee since offensive tackle Darnell Wright went 10th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Charlotte native is Tennessee’s first EDGE rusher to be selected in the draft since Byron Young was taken as a third-rounder in 2023.
Pearce joins a short list of former Tennessee players drafted to Atlanta. The Falcons have drafted six former Tennessee players since 1936, including DB Jim Weatherford (1969), DE Chuck Smith (1992), LB Darryl Hardy (1992), DB Ronald Davis (1995), DE Will Overstreet (2002), and DE Demetrin Veal (2003).
Pearce is one of a handful of former Vols who are expected to be drafted at some point this weekend. Running back Dylan Sampson and defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott are both projected as third-fourth round prospects, while wide receiver Dont’e Thornton and defensive lineman Elijah Simmons could sneak into the later rounds on Saturday afternoon.
Pearce is Atlanta’s second first-round pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Falcons took Georgia EDGE/LB rusher Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee-related coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft this weekend in Green Bay.
With the 26th pick in the @NFL Draft, we have selected James Pearce Jr!#NFLDraft: NFLN, ABC, ESPN pic.twitter.com/WfL81llG0j
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 25, 2025
