Tennessee edge defender James Pearce Jr. was widely considered the top edge in a strong defensive line class when the 2024 season started. He was coming off of an SEC-leading 10.0 sack season that also saw him rack up 15 tackles for a loss.
However, he steadily slipped down draft boards over the course of the season when he didn’t quite take the expected step in his development and took a step back in production. Rumors also emerged from the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine that some teams have concerns regarding Pearce’s character.
These are, of course, rumors and we don’t have the resources to substantiate or dispel them here.