Tennessee football's James Pearce is having to play defense when it comes to his 2025 NFL Draft stock, which should be a comfort zone for one of the best pass rushers in the class.
However, Pearce is trying to fend off questions about his character, his maturity and whether he's worth a team spending a first-round pick on him.
According to reports from NFL insiders, there are more concerns about Pearce off the field than his play on it. And he knew that when he impressed scouts with his freakish athleticism at Tennessee's Pro Day on Tuesday and then answered questions from reporters.
"On the (game) tape, there's nothing you really can dislike," Pearce said. "(In meetings with NFL personnel) they want to know the type of person that I am. They want to know that from me. They ask everybody else, but they want to know from me, too.
"I'm a great guy. I'm a great teammate, a great player. I'm a people person. I've got a good heart."
Fair or not, once a draft prospect gets tagged with questions about his character, it's hard to shake. Pearce was projected as a top-10 pick heading into the 2024 season, but some recent mock drafts have dropped him out of the first round.
"(Being a first-round pick) means a lot to me," Pearce said. "It means a lot to me that I'm a great person and a great player, and I feel like that's what first-round picks fall under. I feel like that's what the best player falls under.
"I'll just keep showing that I'm the best edge (rusher) and the best defender in this draft."
Pearce is not listed as a first-round pick on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper's board. And he's projected as a mid-second round pick by The Athletic, going No. 54 overall to Green Bay Packers.
But those are only two opinions about one of the most divisive players in this draft class.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel defended Pearce and his potential as a first-round pick.
"James is a smart player, electric in his ability to rush the passer," Heupel said. "Just seeing his growth on and off the field in three short years, his best is still in front of him."
Pearce was a two-time All-SEC selection. He had 13 tackles-for-loss, 10 quarterback hurries and 7.5 sacks last season. But NFL Draft analysis have questioned his maturity.
"When a young man comes into our building, they are at varying levels of maturity," Heupel said. "It's our job to accelerate them as fast as we can. James has done a really good job. His football understanding grew really quickly. Developing as a man and as a person, he has done a really good job continuing that too."
Pearce should still be selected first among numerous Vols in this draft class.
There were 16 former Tennessee players at Pro Day, and scouts from all 32 NFL teams came to see them.
The most draftable players are Pearce, running back Dylan Sampson, defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott, wide receiver Dont'e Thornton, defensive lineman Elijah Simmons and wide receiver Bru McCoy.
All six were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis two weeks ago.
Other former Vols working out at Pro Day included: Center Cooper Mays, offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins, offensive/defensive lineman Omari Thomas, offensive lineman John Campbell, offensive lineman Dayne Davis, offensive lineman Andrej Karic, defensive back Will Brooks, linebacker Eli Purcell and long snapper Matthew Salansky.
Linebacker Keenan Pili was also on hand to meet with NFL personnel, but he is still recovering from a 2024 season-ending injury. McCoy did not do on-field drills because he is nursing a hamstring injury.
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Sampson was among the most accomplished players in college football last season. But he faces stiff competition in a loaded crop of running backs in this draft class.
Sampson was the 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year. He led the SEC in rushing yards (1,491), touchdowns (22), points scored (132) and all-purpose yards (1,638). And he also broke the UT single-season records for rushing yards and total TDs.
But there are questions about Sampson's top-end speed. At Pro Day, he clocked a hand-timed 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds.
"I wanted to show that I can run," Sampson said. "My game speed is real speed."
After running the 40 in a blazing 4.3 seconds at the combine, Thornton rode some momentum back to campus.
NFL teams want to know how well he can transition to a pro-style offense after leading the SEC with a 25.4 yards-per-catch average. Scouts had him run a series of receiver routes at Pro Day to test his versatility.
"The phone has been ringing a good amount (since the combine)," Thornton said. "They like that I'm a big receiver (6-foot-5, 205 pounds), and that I can be an inside or outside receiver."
One minor twist of Pro Day was Thomas going through offensive linemen drills for scouts.
Thomas, a 6-4, 325-pounder, was a four-year starter at defensive tackle. But his size and skillset may translate better to offensive line in the NFL.
Heupel said he believes Thomas can successfully switch sides if that's what NFL teams want.
"Omari looked pretty good," Heupel said. "He has done such a great job on our defensive line and been a huge part of our culture. He's got a great future in front of him.
"He flipped over for some of the drills today, and he has a natural skillset there (on the offensive line), as well. I'm excited to see his career unfold."
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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