The Philadelphia Eagles are facing a unique set of problems following their second Super Bowl win in a decade — too much talent and not enough money to go around.
Even with the NFL salary cap increasing to $279.2 million in 2025 — up $23.8 million from 2024 — it’s going to be near impossible for the Eagles to bring back all of their defensive stars that are headed into free agency. Players like defensive tackle Milton Williams, edge rusher Josh Sweat, edge rusher Brandon Graham and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun are all free agents and can’t all come back, can they?
Still, somehow, the Eagles might just end up with a generational talent in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, where NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has them projected to take University of Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce with the No. 32 overall pick in his latest mock draft.
Pearce, 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, became the breakout star of the NFL Scouting Combine on February 27 when he ran a blazing, 4.47-second 40-yard dash.
“The Eagles’ success with polarizing prospects ultimately could make Pearce a value pick at the end of Round 1,” Brooks wrote. “The Tennessee standout’s pass-rushing prowess would further enhance a unit that is loaded with young playmakers on the front.”
Vague ‘Character Issues’ Have Hurt Pearce’s Draft Stock
The ever present and maddeningly vague “character issues” have hurt Pearce’s draft stock in recent weeks.
Former Tennessee quarterback and sports radio talk show host Erik Ainge had perhaps the best take on Pearce — that his perceived flaw in character is more in line with a reticence to speak with the media.
“James Pearce doesn’t want to talk to the media,” Ainge wrote on his official X account on February 19. “Or me. Or you. Dude just wants to play football and he’s elite at it. If I’m an NFL team, sign me up for the baller that just loves football. People calling that ‘character’ issues.”
The thing that should actually put Pearce under more of a microscope is his slight backslide in production from his sophomore season to his junior season. Pearce had 10.0 sacks in 13 games in 2023 followed by 7.5 sacks in 13 games in 2024. He finished his career with 19.5 sacks in 3 seasons.
“Pearce is a tight-hipped, linear pass rusher with explosive take-offs and good speed-to-power but a lack of bend to flatten at the top,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. “His high pressure rate is partially derived from an instinctive feel for positioning, allowing him to work around protection for quick wins into the pocket.”
Pearce Might Need to Pack on Extra Weight in NFL
One of the big criticisms of Pearce has been his weight, which seems a bit overblown when you consider he won’t even turn 22 years old until midway through his rookie season. He should naturally add 10-20 pounds over the next few years if not sooner — it might even be possible for him to put on another 5-10 pounds of muscle before his rookie season begins.
Needing that extra weight isn’t overblown. The NFL’s de facto Top 4 dominant pass rushers all are between 255 to 270 pounds; Myles Garrett (270 pounds), Trey Hendrickson (270 pounds), Maxx Crosby (255 pounds) and T.J. Watt (255 pounds).
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Combine Breakout Star Predicted to Land With Eagles appeared first on Heavy Sports.