Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. declares for draft

By Chris Marler

One of the most high profile NFL Draft prospects in the country has made his draft decision. Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, leaving the Vols after three seasons. 

Pearce has been an All-SEC player for the Vols for two straight seasons and most expected him to enter his name in the draft. There was a glimmer of hope he might return, as he waited until the final hour of the process to make his announcement.

Pearce finished his career in Knoxville with 19.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. He’s currently projected by CBS Sports as the No. 1 edge rusher in this year’s draft, ahead of Georgia’s Mykel Williams. At one point, he was projected in some mocks as the No. 1 overall player taken. However, he currently projects in the top 15 picks of the first round.