A year removed from having five players selected in the top 80 picks, Tennessee doesn't have many blue-chip players set to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. The coaching staff retooled the roster this season and allowed new transfers and underclassmen to crack their way into the starting lineup, with several development pieces taking bigger roles.
The 2025 NFL Draft is a different story. The Vols will have a few draft-eligible prospects that should get attention - none more than true sophomore edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Pearce was the No. 202 prospect in the 2022 class, according to the 247Sports' Composite rankings. Since signing, he has blossomed into an elite pass-rusher with Sunday skills, and a recent mock draft had Pearce as the No. 8 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, heading to the Washington Commanders.
"Having traded away both Chase Young and Montez Sweat, the Commanders desperately need more early-round talent on the outside alongside Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. In the 2025 NFL Draft, James Pearce Jr. might be a compelling candidate. The 6’5″, 242-pound Pearce was one of the top pass-rushers in the SEC this year, with eight sacks and 11.5 TFLs. His initial explosiveness up the track is tough to match, but he also has the brisk lateral agility and nuanced hands to exploit tackles who overset." PFN's Ian Cummings on James Pearce Jr.
There are 19 months left until Pearce is eligible for the draft, so there's plenty of time left for development and college production. He's entering a critical point in his career, where further development in his junior season could make him a very rich man.
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