Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) walks out of the locker room to start the second half of the NCAA college football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. (I've been trying to get this photograph of a single player leaving the Tennessee locker room for a few years but it never worked out quite right until James Pearce Jr. showed up)
One of the realities of winning the Super Bowl is that NFL Draft SZN is a lot less exciting. There's not the same type of buzz about what the Eagles are going to do with the 32nd selection as there would be in a year where Howie Roseman and company have a pick in the top half of the first round.
With that said, while the Eagles aren't going to necessarily get a blue-chip player with their first-round pick, they've seen Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Darius Slay and Mekhi Becton, among others, depart this offseason. If the Eagles are going to repeat as Super Bowl Champions, they're going to need to backfill some of their losses in the draft.
Here's the latest look at where experts have the Eagles going with the No. 32 pick on April 24.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: James Pearce Jr. — Edge Rusher, Tennessee
The Godfather of NFL Mock Drafts has the Eagles taking Pearce. Kiper acknowledges that "there are mixed opinions around the league on whether Pearce is a first-rounder, but he has the traits to develop into a speedy disruptor in the right system."
A couple things on that: 1) 32 is barely a first rounder and 2) While there may be questions about whether Pearce should be taken in the first round, there seems to be a lot of people who believe he could be a fit for the Eagles.
#OleMiss DT Walter Nolen
Explosive power on this rep. pic.twitter.com/2p6YZWQTIl
Chad Reuter, NFL Media: Walter Nolen — Defensive Tackle, Mississippi
Reuter has the Eagles trading the No. 32 pick and their third-round selection to acquire No. 26 from the Los Angeles Rams and take Nolen.
It makes sense considering they not only lost Williams, but Jalen Carter will be eligible for a mega extension after next season. The Eagles have to decide whether or not to pick up Jordan Davis' fifth-year option this offseason, which they probably will. But assuming Carter gets paid, the Eagles might have to let Davis walk in the long run.
After transferring from Texas A&M, Nolen was an All-American in what turned out to be his lone season at Ole Miss. He had a staggering 14 tackles for a loss in 2024, along with 6 1/2 sacks.
Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network: James Pearce Jr. — Edge Rusher, Tennessee
Beginning to notice the trend yet?
After losing Sweat in free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement, the Eagles have a need off the edge. Pearce is also Sanchez's solution to that after he combined for 17 1/2 sacks over his final two collegiate campaigns.
No amount of smoke screens will ever cause me to be out on James Pearce Jr.
My #1 “my guy” in the 2025 NFL Draft: pic.twitter.com/zRpBGGNd6N
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today: James Pearce Jr. — Edge Rusher, Tennessee
Three out of four? Three out of four.
While there have been some vague "character concerns" mentioned around Pearce, Middlehurst-Schwartz says that the 21-year-old has "the explosive initial burst and closing speed of a top pick despite his occasionally uneven results."
Pro Football Focus dropped this interesting nugget on him:
James Pearce Jr in 2024:
💥 23.3% pressure rate | 1st among all FBS edge defenders pic.twitter.com/4zqcXCyGjx
That seems like a guy worth taking a shot on at the bottom of the first round, especially when you're a team that feels great about your culture.
