A first-round Tennessee edge rusher who set the Falcons' rookie sack record and won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in his debut season.
James Pearce Jr. is a rookie edge rusher for the Falcons, taken 26th overall in 2025 after a dominant three-year run at Tennessee. Atlanta traded up to get him, sending a future first-round pick to the Rams, and he repaid that investment with an immediate, disruptive rookie season.
Path to the league
Pearce played three seasons at Tennessee from 2022 to 2024, racking up 19.5 sacks over 39 games, including a team-leading 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss as a junior in 2024. He earned back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors as a sophomore and junior and was a Bednarik Award semifinalist. The Falcons traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to select him with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, giving up picks No. 46 and 242 that year along with their 2026 first-rounder.
Career highlights
Pearce's game is built around elite speed off the edge, long arms and the ability to bend the corner and convert speed to power against tackles. His 19.5 college sacks and back-to-back first-team All-SEC nods made him one of the top pass-rush prospects in the 2025 draft class.
2025 season recap
Pearce started fast as a rookie and finished with 26 tackles, 10.5 sacks, five pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery across 17 games, leading all rookies in sacks and setting the Falcons' franchise record for sacks by a rookie. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in December.
Sources
- Wikipedia: James Pearce Jr.
- ESPN: James Pearce Jr.
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
17 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | falcons | 17 | 26 | 17 | 10.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Tennessee
- Hometown
- Charlotte, NC, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
Latest news about James Pearce Jr.
All news →Falcons sign Kyle Pitts to 3-year, $54 million extension, voiding the franchise tag
The deal carries $36 million fully guaranteed and an $18 million average, the third-highest at the position. The tag that bridged Atlanta and Pitts in the spring is now off the books.
Michael Penix Jr. expects to be a full go by Falcons training camp
The Falcons quarterback tore his left ACL in Week 11 last season. He says the plan is to handle everything in team drills when camp opens in late July, pending one final sign-off from his doctor.
Falcons' James Pearce Jr. Returns to Team for Minicamp Four Months After Arrest
Coach Kevin Stefanski says the second-year edge rusher will handle individual drills while the NFL keeps his case under review.
