ESPN's latest 2025 NFL mock draft has James Pearce as a top pick ... to the Titans

ESPN’s latest mock draft for the 2025 NFL Draft not only has James Pearce Jr. as one of the top overall picks, but has Tennessee Football’s star pass rusher staying in state with the Tennessee Titans.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller on Tuesday published his latest mock draft, with Pearce going No. 4 overall to the Titans, but also referred to Pearce as “my preseason No. 1 overall player.”

Miller’s mock draft had Georgia quarterback Carson Beck as the No. 1 overall pick to the New York Giants ahead of Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders at No. 2 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders and Michigan corner Will Johnson at No. 3 to the Denver Broncos.

James Pearce led Vols with 10.0 sacks, 14.5 TFLs, 16 QB hits last season

“This is a prove-it season for quarterback Will Levis as a second-year starter,” Miller wrote of the Titans’ quarterback, the No. 33 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, “but the early returns were good enough that we can forget about quarterbacks at the top of the draft for now.

“Instead, the Titans could land my preseason No. 1 overall player — and an in-state prospect. At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Pearce has special quickness around the edge, picking up 9.5 sacks last season. He also flashed his all-around game with a 52-yard pick-six last season. Pearce would be an instant boost opposite Harold Landry III.”

Pearce last season led Tennessee’s defense with 10.0 sacks as a sophomore, in tackles for loss with 14.5 and he added 16 quarterback hits. He played 462 snaps in 13 games, with 246 pass-rushing snaps and 182 snaps in run defense.

He finished fifth overall in the Pro Football Focus defensive ratings last season, with a 91.0 grade. He was just behind UCLA’s Laiatu Latu (96.2), Marshall’s Elijah Alston (91.2) and SMU’s Elijah Roberts (91.2). Pearce was third in pass rush with a season grade of 92.4, behind Latu (94.2) and Texas State’s Ben Ball (93.0).

‘Pearce is a 6-5, 242-pound blur rushing off the edge’

He’s been high on Miller’s board since January, when he reported that Pearce likely would’ve been the first defensive player picked in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“Pearce is a 6-5, 242-pound blur rushing off the edge,” Miller wrote at the time. “With 43 pressures and 9.5 sacks in 2023, Pearce established himself as one of the best pass-rushers in the SEC.

“In fact, an AFC West scout who covers the conference told me Pearce would be the first defensive player drafted in the 2024 class if he were draft-eligible. Expectations are high for Pearce, but his speed and savvy pass-rush moves are worthy of the hype.”