School: University of Tennessee
2024 Stats: 13 starts | 38 tackles | 7.5 sacks | 13 tackles for loss | 1 forced fumble | 1 fumble recovery | 55 total pressures
Honors: 2024 second-team All-SEC | 2023 first-team All-SEC | led SEC in sacks in 2023
How he fits with the Falcons:
The Falcons needed to add juice to their pass rush, and Pearce brings a lot of juice. He’s an athletic player who stays clean by ripping, dipping and dancing his way past offensive tackles. Pearce has elite first-step explosiveness and will have opponents on their back foot in the blink of an eye. Don’t expect Pearce to hold up at the point of attack in the run game, but that’s not what he’s here to do. The Falcons need someone to get after the quarterback, and he does that as well as any player in this draft class as evidenced by his 17.5 sacks over the last two seasons.
