James

Pearce

The Falcons now have both of their first-round selections under contract. They made a surprise trade back into the first round of last month’s draft to select Pearce, who boasts elite athleticism for his size and should contribute immediately on pass-rushing downs. Pearce totaled 19.5 sacks during his three seasons at Tennessee and led the SEC with 10 sacks as a sophomore. With a lot already invested in the pick, the Falcons hope Pearce will turn into a transformative player who can help turn around a defense that ranked 23rd in points allowed and 31st in sacks (31) last season. Pearce will receive a guaranteed $16.8 million on his rookie deal, with $8.8 million coming via a signing bonus.

The Falcons must have wanted Pearce badly. They moved back into the first round of the draft by trading Los Angeles their first round pick in 2026 and their 2025 second-round pick. Pearce Jr. (6’5/245) was considered the 11th-ranked high school player from the class of 2022, according to On3. The Charlotte, NC native came of age as a sophomore in 2023, accruing 52 pressures with the second-highest PFF pass rush grade (91.9) among Power Five edge defenders despite starting just three games on the year. He followed that up with another sensational campaign posting 55 pressures, 13.0 TFL and 7.5 sacks en route to receiving First Team All-SEC accolades for a second consecutive season. Pearce averaged a scorching 22.6 percent pressure rate with an 89th percentile pass rush grade in addition to an 84th percentile grade in run support. His prodigious athleticism was verified at the Combine with Pearce Jr. running a blazing 4.47s 40-yard dash and 1.58s 10-yard split which are both 99th percentile marks among historical edge defenders. Pearce Jr. accelerates around the hoop with blinding speed which puts blockers at an immediate disadvantage off the snap. He’s elusive in run defense and gets off on the snap like a rocket. While Pearce Jr. is extremely quick, he’s a little light for his 6-foot-5 height at 245 pounds, which can cause him to get overpowered when blockers manage to get a firm grasp of him. In Atlanta, he’ll join a defensive line Pro Football Focus graded as last year’s third-worst pass rushing unit.

The 24/7 Sports crystal ball was pointing the way of South Carolina but Pearce (6'5/220) ended up signing with the Volunteers. A four-star with a 0.8987 ranking on the 24/7 Sports composite, Pearce is the 22nd-ranked edge rusher and the fifth-highest ranked recruit for Tennessee’s 16th-ranked class.