The Green Bay Packers will have to fix another glaring need this offseason, the defensive line. Green Bay had trouble generating a pass rush this season. No player on the roster this season recorded 10 sacks.
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They finished with an 11-7 record and the Green Bay Packers defense will need to be better in the trenches in 2025. Green Bay needs to find someone this offseason who can get after the quarterback and also stop the run.
Dairylandexpress.com Writer Brian Sampson Thinks That Tennessee Volunteers Defensive Lineman James Pearce Jr. Could Be a Fit For the Green Bay Packers With the 23rd Overall Pick
With the Green Bay Packers having the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, dairylandexpress.com writer Brian Sampson wrote about five potential different players that Green Bay could draft with that selection. One player that Sampson mentioned about with that selection is Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman James Pearce Jr.
It would be a surprise if he was still available toward the end of the first round. Sampson said:
“If Mykel Williams is off the board, James Pearce Jr. is another strong option. The Tennessee edge rusher has been one of college football’s most productive defenders over the last two seasons, posting 21 sacks, 15 quarterback hits, and 71 hurries.
At 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, Pearce has the ideal length to thrive in the Packers’ scheme. His ability to win with speed and leverage makes him an immediate threat as a pass rusher. While his run defense is still a work in progress, his tools give him the potential to develop into a three-down defensive end.
Pearce’s blend of productivity and upside would address a clear need for Green Bay. With Gary and Van Ness in place, he wouldn’t have to carry the load alone, but he could give the Packers the edge-rushing juice they’ve been missing.”
During the 2024 season, he recorded 38 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass deflection. James Pearce Jr. is 6’5″ and weighs 243 lbs.
Scouting Report
NFLdraftbuzz.com created a scouting report for James Pearce Jr. for his strengths and weaknesses. His strengths are:
“Displays elite first-step explosion off the edge that forces tackles to bail out of their stance, creating immediate advantages in pass rush situations and possesses remarkable bend and ankle flexion when turning the corner, consistently getting hip-to-hip with tackles before reducing his surface area to flatten to the QB.”
“Currently lacks ideal play strength at the point of attack, sometimes getting displaced against more powerful offensive tackles in the run game and shows some inconsistency maintaining leverage when teams run directly at him, particularly against gap schemes with pulling guards.”
The Green Bay Packers do need help on the defensive line and James Pearce Jr. from the Tennessee Volunteers would not be a bad choice with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, there is a better chance that the Green Bay Packers will be drafting a cornerback instead of a defensive lineman in the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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