Detroit Lions 2025 draft prospect profile: James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee

[ASFN Admin]

One of the players more commonly projected to the Detroit Lions in the first round as we approach April, Tennessee EDGE James Pearce could be a solution for the team's need at the position. Yet Pearce also carries some questions that might not make him the best fit despite having considerable promise as a pass rusher.

James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee​

• 6-foot-5, 245 pounds (Measured at the NFL Scouting Combine)
• 39 career games at Tennessee, where he totaled 19.5 sacks, 44 solo tackles, 29.5 TFLs, 3 forced fumbles and a pick-six
• 2-time All-SEC first-team defensive lineman
• 21 years old, turns 22 in October

Games watched: NC State, Oklahoma, Alabama (2023 and 2024), Georgia (2023 and 2024), Ohio State

Positives​

• He's a burst of lightning off the snap and covers a lot of ground with his first step
• Good with his hands and shoulders to shed two-handed blocks
• Very fast closing burst
• Pretty effective snap anticipation in the pass rush
• Can set up pass rush moves and mix up his attack to keep blockers from getting into a groove
• Abuses tackles who short-set him with his burst and speed
• Good at not overshooting the point of attack, has impressive body control at full speed
• Doesn't give away his attack path or twists/loops with his alignment and initial movement

Negatives​

• Short arms (32.5") for his height and it shows in his reach to finish plays at times
• Oddly poor bend around the edge for a lighter-weight rusher
• Leggy build hurts his lateral agility and ability to corner tightly
• Lacks base strength to set a hard edge in the run game
• Had an arrest for multiple traffic violations in late 2023 (charges were later dropped)
• Can get pushed high and wide pretty easily by a tackle not awed by his initial burst
• Lacks instincts for what an offense is trying to do when it's not an obvious passing situation
• For such a fast guy, Pearce doesn't convert his speed to power well at all
• Played better in 2023 than 2024 despite having a better supporting cast around him last season

Overall​

It's easy to see the NFL potential for Pearce as a stand-up-only pass rusher with high upside. His burst and ability to make plays in the backfield are very appealing. From a Lions standpoint, he's quite small and lacking in power for the EDGE role the team has deployed in the Dan Campbell era and isn't even close to a good run defender. Pearce makes great sense in the first round if the Lions are getting away from the "crush the can" style of EDGE, but is a stylistic and schematic misfit otherwise.

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions 2025 draft prospect profile: James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee

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