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Will the Cincinnati Bengals select a defensive end in the first round of the NFL draft for the second time in three years?
The Bengals reportedly hosted Tennessee Volunteers edge James Pearce Jr. for a visit earlier this month.
Pearce is one of five players who make sense for the Bengals at No. 17, according to The Enquirer's Kelsey Conway.
What to know about the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Pearce, who played three seasons for the Vols:
Pearce played 13 games per season in each of his three seasons. He finished his sophomore season with an SEC-best 10 sacks.
In Tennessee's 35-0 win against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl in January 2024, Pearce finished the game with 1.5 sacks, four tackles (two for loss), and an interception he returned 52 yards for a touchdown.
Pearce was the first UT defensive lineman to earn back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors since College Football Hall of Famer John Henderson (2000-01).
Pearce did have off-the-field issues during his sophomore season. He was arrested in December 2023 for disobeying orders from police after being stopped for speeding and driving on a suspended license. Charges were later dropped. He paid court costs for a speeding ticket.
Talent evaluators praise Pearce's length, twitch and rush production, along with explosiveness in the first three steps of his rush.
"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," Lance Zierlein wrote in Pearce's NFL.com draft profile. "He'll need to improve his strength and technique as an NFL run defender."
Chambers won back-to-back state titles in 2019 and 2020, and appeared in North Carolina Class 4A state championship games in each of Pearce's four high school seasons.
From the NFL's official Twitter/X account:
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: James Pearce Jr: Tennessee edge likely NFL draft first-round pick
Continue reading...
The Bengals reportedly hosted Tennessee Volunteers edge James Pearce Jr. for a visit earlier this month.
Pearce is one of five players who make sense for the Bengals at No. 17, according to The Enquirer's Kelsey Conway.
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What to know about the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Pearce, who played three seasons for the Vols:
Pearce had 19.5 sacks over 39 games at Tennessee.
Pearce played 13 games per season in each of his three seasons. He finished his sophomore season with an SEC-best 10 sacks.
In Tennessee's 35-0 win against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl in January 2024, Pearce finished the game with 1.5 sacks, four tackles (two for loss), and an interception he returned 52 yards for a touchdown.
Pearce was named first-team all-SEC each of the past two seasons.
Pearce was the first UT defensive lineman to earn back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors since College Football Hall of Famer John Henderson (2000-01).
Pearce did have off-the-field issues during his sophomore season. He was arrested in December 2023 for disobeying orders from police after being stopped for speeding and driving on a suspended license. Charges were later dropped. He paid court costs for a speeding ticket.
Talent evaluators praise Pearce's length, twitch and rush production, along with explosiveness in the first three steps of his rush.
"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," Lance Zierlein wrote in Pearce's NFL.com draft profile. "He'll need to improve his strength and technique as an NFL run defender."
Pearce was a top 15 overall prospect nationally at Chambers High School in Charlotte.
Chambers won back-to-back state titles in 2019 and 2020, and appeared in North Carolina Class 4A state championship games in each of Pearce's four high school seasons.
From the NFL's official Twitter/X account:
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: James Pearce Jr: Tennessee edge likely NFL draft first-round pick
Continue reading...
