James Pearce Jr. holds the LOLB · Starter spot in Atlanta Falcons’s edge room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

James Pearce Jr. played 17 games in 2025 with a 53% snap share.

James Pearce Jr. is a 6'5", 243-pound left outside linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, drafted 26th overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. At Charlotte, North Carolina, he appeared in 39 games over three seasons, posting 71 tackles and 19.5 sacks while earning back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors. In his 2025 rookie season, Pearce recorded 26 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and five passes defensed across 17 games. His 10.5 sacks led all rookies and marked the most by a Falcon since Vic Beasley's 15.5 in 2016. He registered 45 quarterback pressures, a franchise rookie record, and was named PFWA All-Rookie and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for December.

Tennessee2022 – 2024

Falcons2025 — present

CollegeTennesseeDraftRound 1 · No. 26 overall · 2025 · ATLHometownCharlotte, NC