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James Pearce Jr., Tennessee edge rusher, named as potential draft fit for AFC North squad
By Adam Spencer
Published:
James Pearce Jr. entered the 2024 college football season as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The season didn’t exactly go according to plan, but he’s still expected to be perhaps an early Day 2 draft pick.
The Tennessee edge rusher posted 38 tackles (13 for a loss), 7.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery for a Volunteers squad that made it to the College Football Playoff this past season.
Now he’s off to the NFL Draft, and ESPN draft expert Matt Miller thinks Pearce could be exactly what the Cincinnati Bengals need from a non-Round 1 prospect.
Here’s what Miller had to say about Pearce’s fit in Cincinnati:
Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee. Pearce is the speedy pass rusher the Bengals need opposite Hendrickson or could serve as the backup plan should Hendrickson sit out the 2025 season following a trade request.
The Bengals desperately need young defenders on rookie contracts heading into the 2025 season after paying a fortune to keep WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Pearce fits that bill and could step into a big role immediately, especially if, as Miller mentioned, Trey Hendrickson isn’t on the field starting Week 1.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
