Name: James Pearce Jr.
Position: Edge rusher
School: Tennessee
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 245
40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds
Bench: Did not bench
Vertical: 31 inches
Broad: 10-foot-3
3-cone: Did not run
20-yard shuttle: Did not run
How he fits: The Lions currently return Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal as their top three edge rushers, but Davenport has to prove he can stay healthy and Pashcal is more of a power/edge setter than a pure pass rusher (five career sacks).
What Pearce would provide is immediate juice off the edge. He’s got amazing speed and first-step burst and would be a little different kind of a rusher than the Lions currently have on the roster. He’d give opposing tackles a bit of a curveball with his speed and quickness vs. the more power rush of Davenport and Paschal.
Key observations: Pearce’s 19 percent pressure rate was second in the FBS last season. He’s recorded 17.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss against SEC competition the last two seasons combined.
What they had to say about him: “Pearce is a tight-hipped, linear pass rusher with explosive take-offs and good speed-to-power but a lack of bend to flatten at the top. His high-pressure rate is partially derived from an instinctive feel for positioning, allowing him to work around protection for quick wins into the pocket.
“He’s very long but narrow through his hips, so the build-out of his frame might be limited. Pearce knows how to play around blocks and has the speed to close and tackle, but his base is naturally narrow and lacks bend. He’ll need to improve his strength and technique as an NFL run defender. Despite those concerns, Pearce’s length, twitch and rush production create a higher ceiling.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL analyst
How he stacks up: The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranks Pearce as his No. 21 overall prospect in his first list of the Top 100 players in the draft.
“Long and athletic, Pearce is able to convert his speed to power, and he rushes from a low position to forklift blockers using his extended levers,” Brugler said. “There are some question marks about his ability in the run game, but he chases with terrific effort to make stops near the sidelines.”
NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah has a similar ranking for Pearce as he comes in at No. 22 in his latest version of his Top 50 players in the class.
NFL.com lead writer Eric Edholm puts Pearce at No. 25 on his list of the 100 Top Players in the class.
“He’s not a complete player yet but turn on the Alabama tape from last October and you can easily see just how disruptive Pearce can be as a pass rusher,” Edholm said.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid isn’t as high on Pearce as some others as Pearce comes in at No. 35 on Reid’s most recent list of the Top 50 players in the draft released this week.
The top ranking for Pearce comes from ESPN’s Field Yates who lists him at No. 19.
What he had to say:
“Just keep showing that I’m the best edge and best defender in this draft and keep putting it out there that I’m one of the best players in the draft, if not the best,” Pearce said at Tennessee’s Pro Day when asked what he’s trying to prove to teams in team visits and interviews in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft.
