Two-time first-team All-SEC edge rusher
James Pearce Jr. became the latest Tennessee Vol to add his name to the program's legacy of first round draft choices.
Pearce Jr. was selected with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, who traded up to take him Thursday night. With the draft taking place in Green Bay, Pearce Jr. held a family draft party in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Pearce is Tennessee's 48th all-time first round pick and the second in three years under head coach
Josh Heupel.
Offensive tackle Darnell Wright was taken No. 10 overall by Chicago in 2023.
Pearce is the first Tennessee player to be selected by Atlanta since defensive end Demetrin Veal went in the seventh round in 2003.
Pearce's path to Tennessee began as a five-star recruit out of Chambers High School in Charlotte. In his three seasons on Rocky Top, he was a key part of the program's resurgence and defensive prowess as the Vols won 29 games and ranked in the top 10 in the nation in tackles for loss his last two years.
Pearce generated 113 quarterback pressures in his three seasons and finished tied for 10th in UT all-time career sacks with 19.5, representing the most by a Vol since first rounder Derek Barnett had a school record 33 from 2014-16.
Pearce became the first UT defensive lineman to earn back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors since College Football Hall of Famer John Henderson from 2000-01. Pearce finished his junior season with 55 total pressures, 38 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 10 QB hurries. He also showed up in a significant way in big games, logging tackles for loss against Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio State.
It's the third time in four years that Tennessee has produced at least one defensive lineman selected in the first five rounds under the tutelage of
Rodney Garner and Levorn Harvin.
Additional Vols now wait to hear their names called the next two days. Rounds two and three are Friday beginning at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and NFL Network. Rounds four through seven get underway at noon Saturday.