James Pearce Jr. Fantasy Stats

Atlanta Falcons rookie first-round defensive end James Pearce Jr. has impressed the team as potentially one of the best pure pass-rusher's in this year's NFL draft. "Been really [pleased] at his willingness to really collaborate with the people that we hooked him up with, whether it's been strength coach, whether it's been nutrition," head coach Raheem Morris said. "Really his buy-in. Really smart, sharp, particular guy that asks a lot of questions." Morris said he "fell in love" with Pearce as a person during the pre-draft process. ESPN's Marc Raimondi writes that the 21-year-old's size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) also stands out, and he's added muscle to go with his 4.47-second 40-yard dash time. There's a reason the Falcons traded back up into the first round to take Pearce at 26th overall, and they're hoping the combination of Pearce and linebacker Jalon Walker will pay immediate dividends.

The Atlanta Falcons signed rookie first-round edge rusher James Pearce Jr. to a four-year, fully guaranteed deal on Monday, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Falcons made a big trade back up -- they gave up a second-rounder this year and a first-rounder next year -- into the first round of this year's draft to take Pearce with the 26th overall pick to help bolster the defensive side of the ball. The team also took linebacker Jalon Walker at 15th overall. Pearce was originally a potential top-five draft pick before he underwhelmed a bit in his senior season at Tennessee with 7.5 sacks. His size is a question mark for an outside edge rusher, but Pearce's athleticism isn't in question. The Falcons are hoping their selections of both Pearce and Walker pay off immediately and boost their pass rush in 2025.