James Pearce Jr.'s career got off to a shaky start, but has been taking the NFL by storm as of late. Unfortunately, the Atlanta Falcons' 4-9 record has overshadowed his stardom, but the 21-year-old pass rusher has dazzled across his last five games by tallying 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
After the Falcons selected Jalon Walker, the decision to trade a king's ransom to trade back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft for Pearce was met with controversy. Some even thought the move would be what finally got Terry Fontenot fired, but the selection has instead paid off in a massive way.