James Pearce Jr. is a 21-year-old rookie edge rusher on the Atlanta Falcons. He’s been a pleasant surprise as one of the bright stars of the team’s training camp. At 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, Pearce is an imposing presence on the field. His remarkable artistry and ferocious mindset have endeared him to coaches, peers, and fans from the jump. Drafted as the 26th overall pick, Pearce’s journey from college football at Tennessee to the NFL has been marked by significant achievements and challenges.
Before his time in Happy Valley, Pearce enjoyed a two-year standout career at Tennessee as one of the nation’s premier pass rushers. With his ability to cause havoc for opposing quarterbacks, he was one of the most sought after prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Falcons knew his potential and traded back into the first round to grab his potential. They did so at the cost of their 2026 first-rounder.
Since joining the Falcons on loan, Pearce has made an immediate impact on the field. He’s been a full go in practices, as they’ve been taking his dual-threat abilities for a test run in 11-on-11 work. His performance has not gone unnoticed. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich praised Pearce’s aggressiveness, which he described as a crucial aspect of the team’s evolving culture.
“We’re trying to develop a culture — a style of play, for sure — and part of that is the violence with which we play and aggression, the urgency and all that,” – Jeff Ulbrich
Pearce’s intensity has often put him at odds with players on his own team. In particular, he gained headlines for his clashes with right tackle Kaleb McGary and other teammates during training camp. One standoff intensified when Pearce tugged on McGary’s face mask. That’s when the experienced veteran got in his face to remind him to keep his cool out on the football field.
“Also, don’t grab my face mask and start pulling on it for no reason. Just takes time. … None of us show up knowing everything.” – Kaleb McGary
Through all of these moments of tension, Pearce has earned standing ovation-worthy respect from his fellow congressional compatriots. Jessie Bates III noted that a majority of rookies fail to (or are unable to) assert themselves in team settings. Pearce is different; he’s self-assured in what he says and even usurped the locker room DJ duties.
“A lot of times rookies are kind of hesitant to touch the aux cord and stuff like that,” – Jessie Bates III
“James is right there, he wants to play music. He’s voicing what he’s thinking and then he goes out there and he practices hard as hell.” – Jessie Bates III
Here’s Pearce recently going through some intense skills drills. He even managed to swat away a pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins made no secret of his admiration for Pearce’s athleticism and football intelligence, confessing to the rookie’s ability to make a big impact on the field this season.
“I just told him I thought it was a great play and asked him how quickly he was able to diagnose it and if he felt like he knew it was coming or if he is just a really good athlete,” – Kirk Cousins
“He’s a guy that I’d like to keep kind of dialoging with and see if he can’t help us quite a bit right away this year.” – Kirk Cousins
As for his aggressive playstyle, Pearce points to his passion for the game. Passion is the most important aspect Pearce credits for his ability to thrive.
“I think it’s come with the love of the game of football,” – James Pearce Jr.
“Just the passion for it. Just an aggressive game, a physical game.” – James Pearce Jr.
With training camp almost over, Pearce’s performance has been hard to miss. His coaches and teammates can’t wait to see how those skills will turn into production when the games begin when they really count. James Pearce Jr. has accomplished what he has despite the odds against him through a strong work ethic and tenacity. He’s set to be one of the main cogs in the Atlanta Falcons’ powerful offense this year.
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