James Pearce Jr.

Pearce Jr. attended Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a senior, he had 14.5 sacks and two sacks. Pearce was a four-star prospect who eventually committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football. As a true freshman at Tennessee in 2022, Pearce played in all 13 games and had five tackles and two sacks. During the 2023 season, Pearce ranked third in the SEC in sacks with 10.0 and fifth in the SEC regarding tackles for a loss with 14.5. Pearce enters the 2024 season as a potential top five pick in the 2025 NFL draft.