Why James Pearce could draw Micah Parsons comparisons during 2024 season, ahead of 2025 draft
Tennessee has had plenty of truly great defensive players over the years, from Reggie White, to Eric Berry, to Doug Atkins. EDGE defender James Pearce might just be the next in line.
Pearce was a monster in the team’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over Iowa, impacting the game in numerous ways.
“The thing about James is you look at his stat line and it’s three tackles, a sack, forced a fumble, interception, which is a good stat line, don’t get me wrong,” said Volquest’s Brent Hubbs on the Andy Staples On3 show. “But when you watch the game he affects the offense in so many different ways just because you have to find him and you have to be aware of him. You have to chip, you have to help. So much of your focus is there it opens up guys for other opportunities. He affects the game much greater than his numbers show up.
“But I’m going to tell you what, in seven defensive snaps he turned a 14-0 game into a 28-0 game.”
He did just that indeed. James Pearce started by forcing a fumble on a sack of Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill. Tennessee would recover and quickly turn it into a two-play touchdown drive.
On the following Iowa drive, Pearce picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown.
His ability to impact the game in multiple ways has invited some lofty comparisons, including some to current NFL superstars.
“I’ve used this comparison because I think their body types are a little bit similar. He’s got a little bit of Micah Parsons in him just in terms of his body type,” Hubbs said. “But there’s been a couple plays he’s made this year, the pick-six in this game, and he had another game earlier in the year, maybe it was against A&M I think it was, where he tackled Evan Stewart or somebody on a crossing deal that was like how in the world do you, at that size, make that play? He can really play in space. He’s not just a one-trick pony, EDGE pass-rushing guy, which is why NFL scouts are foaming at the mouth with him.”
One of the things that makes James Pearce so intriguing is just how versatile he can be.
“I think he’s a guy they could move him around a little bit,” Hubbs said. “You really could stand him up. You could blitz him in the A gap. They ran a lot of twists with him this year. He can speed rush. He plays the run a little better than I think people give him credit for because he plays with really good hands. He’s pretty physical with his hands. He’s got long arms. You put another eight pounds on him and put him at 250-255, I’ll tell you what, going to be a really fun player to watch play.”
The expectations for Pearce going forward into 2024, the last year before he comes draft eligible, are impossibly high. It’ll be incumbent on Pearce to stay focused.
That’s the single biggest factor for Hubbs, if James Pearce is to reach his full potential.
“The thing he’s got to do is he’s got to stay really focused because everybody’s in his ear right now,” Hubbs said. “It’s going to be all the talk about how much you’re going to make and where you’re going to be drafted and all that kind of stuff.
“But he has set himself up for a potential great third year in college football and a potential early call on draft night in the NFL Draft, because much like quarterbacks, offensive tackles, defensive coordinators, scouts in the NFL are looking for one thing, and that’s a guy who can get to the quarterback, who can affect the game the way he can. Makes him a really hot commodity. Going to be fun to watch.”