What NFL Draft analysts said about the Falcons trading up to take James Pearce in first round

The Atlanta Falcons nearly took Tennessee’s James Pearce at No. 15 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night in Green Bay. Instead, they picked Georgia’s Jalon Walker with their pick, then traded up to get back into the first round and take Pearce at No. 26.

The Falcons in the trade got Pearce at No. 26 along with a 2025 third-round pick. The Los Angeles Rams in exchange got a 2025 second-round pick, a 2025 seventh-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick. 

Here’s what the NFL Draft analysts said Thursday night on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network after Pearce was picked: 

ABC

Nick Saban: “Playing against this guy, you always have to scheme him up some type of way because he’s such a great pass rusher. He’s got great burst, he can open his hips. You can see him right here beat a guy inside and sacked the quarterback — that’s great feet and hands. He can dip and rip on the edge, he can long-arm, turn speed to power. He needs to clean up his run (defense) game a little bit. But when you’re talking about a pass rushers, this guy is a rusher.”

Desmond Howard: “At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, you’re talking about an athlete that can run a 4.47 (40). Straight-line speed, but also … he’s just very disruptive. One of the quickest first steps in college football. Converts speed to power very well. Long arms. Kind of undersized, kind of Dallas Turner, who see when I look at this guy.”

Kirk Herbstreit: “The other thing he did, he really improved as a run defender. I know you wanted (to see that). Pass rushing is obviously important. But Jalon Walker and Pearce in one draft? You’re talking about in the blink of an eye changing your ability to disrupt the quarterback. That’s two great picks by the Falcons.” 

ESPN

Adam Schefter: “This is an interesting trade. The Falcons get back this first-round pick to take James Pearce, and a third-round pick. But in return, the Rams get a second-round pick this year and a first-round pick in 2026, along with a seventh-round pick this year. So this year, when all teams held their initial first-round draft picks coming into the draft, next year the Cleveland Browns already have the Jaguars’ first-round pick from one trade today and the Rams now have the Falcons’ first-round pick next year for this trade.”

Louis Riddick: “I got to see this guy. I’m telling you, this dude has the most potential of any pass-rusher in this class, outside of Abdul Carter. He can be the next-best pass-rusher in this draft, without a doubt. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, 4.47 in the 40, he reminds me of, body-type wise, of Jevon Kearse when he came out of Florida. (Pearce) can go speed to power as well as anybody you see. And it’s classic, it’s textbook. He’s got the speed to chase down any quarterback in the NFL. He’s got the power to collapse the pocket inside out. When he wants to slant down on run stunts, he blows up everything. He’ll track down balls from one side of the field to the other. The question for James is this: Consistency. Can you get it out of him all the time? Can you count on him? Is he always going to be there? Is he always going to answer the bell? Because if he does, Atlanta finally has the rusher they’ve been looking for, because he has it all.”

NFL Network

Daniel Jeremiah: “A big-time explosive athlete. Leonard Floyd is the body type. The height, you see that lean, narrow frame. But he ran in the 4.4s and it shows up. You see hime get off the rock. He’s got a variety of moves. He’s not just going to win with that speed. He can win on the high side as well as underneath. He’s going to beat the tackle here with a little up and under. Wanted to see a little more consistency with this, the pocket-collapsing power. That’s an area you’re going to want to see him continue to develop. He can set the edge, you see it here as a pass-rusher, he can also do it in the run game. I know (the Falcons) spent a lot of time on him. And I know there were talks they could take him with the 15th pick. I think they were just surprised Jalon Walker was there. They couldn’t pass him up. But hey, why not go back and get another one?”

Charles Davis: “I think what’s interesting about this when you’re looking at James Pearce, now that you’ve picked up Jalon Walker, isn’t Leonard Floyd now in Atlanta? Who you just compared him to? Now you can have a plan for him. Jeff Ulbrich can say I can ‘DPR’ him. Designated pass rush. Have a plan and work him in as he gets bigger and stronger and adds a little more balance. Because as of right now, he’s a sprinter. Before long, we’re going to have to add a little more to him, but not right away. It’s a good pick for (the Falcons).”

Ian Rappaport: “DJ is right. The Falcons came this close — this close — to picking James Pearce at No. 15 overall. They have in fact done extensive homework on his character. They understand the immaturity. They’ve talked to basically everyone he knows. They’ve met with him and his mom yesterday, doing late homework on Pearce. They believe in the culture that Raheem Morris has created.”

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