FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When it comes to James Pearce Jr., there is one word that comes up time and time again when people describe him. That word is, “juice.”
Pearce, it would seem, has a lot of it. But what does that mean for an edge rusher? Specifically, one a team like the Falcons traded back into the first round to acquire.
It all stems from speed and explosion.
Pearce ran a scathing 4.47 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. That speed, according to Falcons outside linebackers coach Jacquies Smith, is special because of where and how it shows up.
“At the combine I am sure he wowed a lot of people with what he ran, but you do like to see guys like James who do run fast at the combine, does it translate on tape? Do you see that type of speed on tape?” Smith questioned. “With him, you see that juice. It’s real juice. You see it all the time on tape. It isn’t just something that a guy is out there running real fast at the combine and don’t show it on tape. He shows it on tape. It’s all over the tape, honestly.”
The Falcons see Pearce as a “three-down, complete player,” per Smith. They see him as one of the purest edge rushing talents of the entire class. More than that, perhaps, they feel as though Pearce’s skillset and pass rushing abilities can be further enhanced when placed within defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s scheme.