The NFL Combine is all about teams verifying what they’ve seen on tape, and after his performance in Indianapolis, front offices around the league are likely even more impressed with Tennessee’s top 2025 draft prospect, edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Already considered a likely first-round pick after a standout career with the Volunteers, Pearce showcased the explosiveness that made him a dominant force in college. Over his final two seasons at Tennessee, he racked up an impressive 17.5 sacks, and that same explosiveness was on full display during the athletic testing at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Pearce set the tone early with a blazing 4.5-second 40-yard dash, but he outdid himself on his second attempt, clocking an even more jaw-dropping 4.47 seconds. He further solidified his status as an elite athlete with a broad jump of over 10 feet, another drill that highlights explosiveness, and he breezed through the pass rush drills with ease, barely seeming to break a sweat. Pearce was the cornerstone of Tennessee’s pass rush over the past two seasons, and after his Combine performance, he’s all but guaranteed to hear his name called early on draft night by a team hoping he can bring the same game-changing impact to the NFL.
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