James Pearce Jr.

James Cecil Pearce Jr. (born October 12, 2003) is an American professional football linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and selected by the Falcons in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.

James Pearce Jr.

Pearce with the Tennessee Volunteers in 2024
No. 27 – Atlanta Falcons
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(2003-10-12) October 12, 2003 (age 21) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:	243 lb (110 kg)
Career information
High school:	Chambers (Charlotte)
College:	Tennessee (2022–2024)
NFL draft:	2025: 1st round, 26th pick
Career history
Atlanta Falcons (2025–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
2× first-team All-SEC (2023, 2024)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Pearce Jr. attended Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.^[1][2] As a senior, he had 14.5 sacks and two interceptions. He helped lead his team to back-to-back North Carolina 4AA state championships in 2019 and 2020.^[3] A four-star prospect, he committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football.^[4][5]

College career

As a true freshman at Tennessee in 2022, Pearce Jr. played in all 13 games and had five tackles and two sacks. He returned to Tennessee for his sophomore year in 2023.^[6][7] During the 2023 season, he ranked third in the SEC for sacks and fifth in the SEC regarding tackles for loss. In the Citrus Bowl against Iowa, he recorded a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown.^[8]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	Vertical jump	Broad jump
6 ft 5+1⁄4 in (1.96 m)	245 lb (111 kg)	32+3⁄4 in (0.83 m)	10 in (0.25 m)	4.47 s	1.56 s	2.61 s	31.0 in (0.79 m)	10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
All values from NFL Combine[9][10]

Pearce was drafted in the first round with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.^[11] The Falcons traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to pick Pearce, giving up the 2026 first round pick as well as a 2025 third and 2025 seventh.^[12]