Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. Squeaks into first round of latest NFL mock draft
Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. sneaks into the first round of the latest NFL mock draft.
The Tennessee Volunteers are going to lose some valuable contributors from the 2024 season to the NFL this offseason. One of those players is edge rusher James Pearce Jr. who was one of the biggest risers heading into the 2024 college football season. Many were mocking Pearce Jr. to be a potential first overall pick this offseason and some deemed him the best player in college football.
Pearce Jr. didn’t exactly put up those kind of numbers this season but he still was a high-impact player for the Volunteers. In 2024, he finished with 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and 38 total tackles. That’s coming off of a season in which he posted 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 28 total tackles.
While Pearce Jr. of course did not get any worse, his draft stock for this year has certainly taken a hit as a result. Daniel Jeremiah released his latest NFL mock draft on NFL.com and he had the former Volunteer going 32nd overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. Here is what Jeremiah had to say about Pearce Jr.
“Some people see Pearce going earlier in Round 1,” Jeremiah wrote. “While there might be a debate about where he’ll land in the draft, there’s no doubt about his elite speed and production.”
This comes after ESPN’s Mel Kiper had Pearce Jr. going 28th overall to the Detroit Lions. There appears to be a grrowing consensus that Pearce Jr. right now is labeled as a late first round pick.
Pearce Jr. will still have plenty of opportunity to raise his stock before the draft at the NFL combine, but it does seem like the chances of him being a top five overall pick are little to none now.
Sam Pendleton Announces Commitment to Tennessee Volunteers
This comes after ESPN’s Mel Kiper had Pearce Jr. going 28th overall to the Detroit Lions. There appears to be a grrowing consensus that Pearce Jr. right now is labeled as a late first round pick.
Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Sam Pendleton has announced his commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Tennessee Volunteers are starting to make some moves in the transfer portal and they just landed a big name out of the mix. Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Sam Pendleton has announced his commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers.
At the start of the 2024 season, Pendleton was Notre Dame’s starting left guard and played in the first seven games. However, by October, he lost his starting spot when Billy Schrauth returned from injury, resulting in a reshuffling that saw Rocco Splinder take over at left guard. Pendleton’s role was set to shift to that of a backup interior lineman for 2025, leaving him without a starting position.
Tennessee has been actively exploring options in the transfer portal to bolster its left guard position this offseason. However, the Vols have been unsuccessful at landing a few of their targets. Northwestern guard Josh Thompson visited the Vols before committing to LSU, while USC guard Emmanuel Pregnon also considered Tennessee before deciding on Oregon.
Heading into the 2025 offseason, the left guard position for Tennessee remains uncertain. This opens the door for Pendleton to potentially become a key addition to Tennessee’s offensive line.
