NFL Draft grades for James Pearce in the first round to the Falcons, from A- to D-
A look at all the NFL Draft grades for Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce, who the Atlanta Falcons traded up to get at No. 26 overall in the first round Thursday night in Green Bay, pairing him with Georgia pass-rusher Jalon Walker, who Atlanta took with the No. 15 overall pick:
“James Pearce Jr. was 34th in my rankings. So while I mentioned the Falcons’ sizable pass-rush issue earlier, I was shocked they traded a future first-rounder to move up to No. 26 to get him. It’s a lot to give up, and talented edge rushers such as Donovan Ezeiruaku and Mike Green were still on the board. Atlanta got value with Jalon Walker, but this one was questionable.”
Gilberto Manzano, Sports Illustrated (A-)
“If Pearce reaches his potential, he could be the best edge rusher in this class. Pearce is a freak athlete, but he needs to improve as a technician and not rely as much on his physical gifts. Teams also had character concerns, questioning Pearce’s passion for the game. Perhaps the work ethic could explain why Pearse didn’t average more than 35 defensive snaps per game during the past two seasons at Tennessee. But in that span, Pearse consistently applied pressure, racking up a combined 17.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss.”
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News (B+)
“The Falcons trading up to get a second impact pass rusher in the first round is intriguing. Atlanta saw a falling star with freakish qualities and had to take the shot for his ceiling at a position of serious need. The cost to get him brings down the grade, but they might have gotten the next Jared Verse here.”
“(Pearce) is a top-10 talent in this draft in my book, but off-field hurt his stock. I had the Falcons taking him earlier in my mock, but now they trade back in to get one of the best rushers in this draft. He can be a big-time steal.”
“Pearce showed excellent pass-rush skills in 2023 and showed sub-4.5 speed at the NFL Scouting Combine. He was not as productive last season, though, and lacks the size to handle powerful NFL tackles. If he matures and gets stronger, there’s a chance he can grow from a designated pass rusher to a starter. Giving up a future first-round pick to move up for Pearce seemed a high price at first blush, but receiving a third-round selection this year somewhat mitigated the risk.”
“As mentioned previously with the selection of Jalon Walker at No. 15, the Falcons desperately needed to address their pass rush and Pearce has real juice off the edge. He is a bit high cut, offering more burst and bend than power or technique. But after double-dipping at quarterback a year ago, the Falcons did the same with edge rushers — something that should have Raheem Morris‘ club generating a much greater pass rush and playoff push in 2025.”
“This is a puzzling trade for the Falcons, who give up second- and seventh-rounders this year and a 2026 first-rounder to move back up into the first round and take Pearce at 26 (they also add a third-rounder this year). It certainly helps Atlanta’s always-terrible edge rushing group, and pairing Pearce with the team’s first pick, Jalon Walker, could be fun. But Pearce (who ranked 39th on my board) lacks size and overall play strength, likely relegating him to rotational duties early on. If the Falcons struggle in 2025, that 2026 first-rounder could be worth an awful lot. I would’ve liked this for the Rams a whole lot more than I do for the Falcons.”
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