How long will it take for Tennessee Vols pass-rusher James Pearce Jr. to hear his name called in the NFL Draft? It may not be long, with some projections placing him as a potential Top 15 pick. However, not everyone shares that level of optimism. One of the notable skeptics is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. In a recent mock draft by ESPN’s Field Yates, Pearce is projected to go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 19 overall. While Yates is high on Pearce, Kiper, though impressed with his skills, has some reservations as the draft approaches in just over two months.
Kiper explained that some players leave evaluators uncertain, and Pearce is one of those cases. “There are players you just don’t know,” Kiper told Yates. “You can’t feel strongly either way about them. You almost have to throw your hands up and say, ‘I don’t get this.’ And Pearce is one of those players. I thought based on his 2023 season, he might be a top pick, alongside Mykel Williams.”
In 2023, Pearce, a 6-5, 245-pound defensive end, totaled 38 tackles and 7.5 sacks. The year before, he had 9.5 sacks, so Kiper was somewhat concerned by his slight drop in production.
Kiper’s uncertainty suggests that he’s not fully convinced Pearce will live up to the first-round hype at the next level. However, from where we stand, Pearce is a proven playmaker, and we believe he’ll quickly make an impact in the NFL.
Tampa Bay is in dire need of a boost to its pass rush, which makes the fit with Pearce logical. But could he fall further in the first round? Tennessee fans certainly hope not, as Pearce is poised to prove his critics wrong from Day 1 in the pros.
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