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==Legal Issues== |
==Legal Issues== |
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On February 7th 2026, Pearce was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida at 6:58 pm on two charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated stalking <ref>https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47863327/falcons-james-pearce-arrested-florida-battery-charges</ref> |
On February 7th 2026, Pearce was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida at 6:58 pm on two charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated stalking <ref>https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47863327/falcons-james-pearce-arrested-florida-battery-charges</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Latest revision as of 04:37, 8 February 2026
American football player (born 2003)
James Cecil Pearce Jr. (born October 12, 2003) is an American professional football linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and selected by the Falcons in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Pearce Jr. was born and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina.[1] He attended Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte.[2][3] As a senior, he had 14.5 sacks and two interceptions. He helped lead his team to back-to-back North Carolina 4AA state championships in 2019 and 2020.[4] A four-star prospect, he committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football.[5][6]
As a true freshman at Tennessee in 2022, Pearce Jr. played in all 13 games and had five tackles and two sacks. He returned to Tennessee for his sophomore year in 2023.[7][8] During the 2023 season, he tied with two others in the SEC for the most sacks with ten and fifth in the SEC regarding tackles for loss.[9] In the Citrus Bowl against Iowa, he recorded a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown.[10]
Professional career
[edit]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5+1⁄4 in (1.96 m) |
245 lb (111 kg) |
32+3⁄4 in (0.83 m) |
10 in (0.25 m) |
6 ft 8+7⁄8 in (2.05 m) |
4.47 s | 1.56 s | 2.61 s | 31.0 in (0.79 m) |
10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) |
|||
| All values from NFL Combine[11][12] | ||||||||||||
Pearce was drafted in the first round with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.[13] The Falcons traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to pick Pearce, giving up the 2026 first-round pick as well as a 2025 third and 2025 seventh.[14] In Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings Pearce recorded his first career sack, taking down Vikings QB JJ McCarthy.[15]
NFL career statistics
[edit]
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBH | Sck | Sfty | Int | Yds | Lng | TD | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2025 | ATL | 17 | 3 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 10.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Career | 17 | 3 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 10.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 0 | |
On February 7th 2026, Pearce was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida at 6:58 pm on two charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated stalking. [16]
- ^ “All Juice No Brakes | The James Pearce Jr. Story | Rookie Spotlight | Atlanta Falcons”. www.atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ Fowler, Chapel (December 15, 2021). “NC’s top uncommitted football recruit not rushing to sign despite offers from UGA, more”. The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ Wertz Jr., Langston (December 10, 2021). “‘You’re an NFL talent.’ How Chambers High’s James Pearce evolved into an SEC recruit”. Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ James Pearce Jr. – Football – University of Tennessee. University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Ray, Matt (December 15, 2021). “Just In: Tennessee Signs Prized Edge Rusher James Pearce”. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ “James Pearce Jr., Tennessee Volunteers, Edge”. 247Sports. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
- ^ Paschall, David (October 3, 2023). “Persistent Pearce averaging a sack a game for the Vols”. Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ Sparks, Adam (March 25, 2023). “Why the next Byron Young for Tennessee football won’t get a participation trophy”. Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ “2023 Southeastern Conference Player Leaders”. cfbstats.com. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
- ^ Schumpert, Ryan (January 2, 2024). “James Pearce’s Dominance Shines In Citrus Bowl, 2023 Season”. Rocky Top Insider. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ Reuter, Chad; Zierlein, Lance. “James Pearce Jr. Draft and Combine Prospect Profile”. NFL.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
- ^ “James Pearce Jr. College Football Profile”. DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
- ^ McFadden, Will (April 25, 2025). “Falcons select James Pearce Jr. with No. 26 pick in 2025 NFL Draft”. Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ Kendall, Josh (May 7, 2025). “How the Falcons got comfortable with a risky trade up for James Pearce Jr”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ Ramsey, Braden. “James Pearce Jr. logs first-career NFL sack on Sunday Night Football”. Saturday Down South. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47863327/falcons-james-pearce-arrested-florida-battery-charges
