James Pearce Jr. Is Giving the Falcons a Pass-Rushing Star to Build Around
It’s taken a little time, but Atlanta has finally found its guy off the edge-and his name is James Pearce Jr.
After a quiet start to his rookie season, the Falcons’ first-round pick has flipped the switch in a massive way. Now, after six straight weeks of high-impact football, Pearce isn’t just making noise-he’s making history. And the coaching staff is finally saying out loud what Falcons fans have been seeing for weeks.
“We’re seeing something borderline historic,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich after Wednesday’s practice. That’s not hyperbole. That’s a coach acknowledging that his rookie pass rusher is doing things most veterans dream of.
Let’s put it in perspective: Pearce leads the Falcons with eight sacks-and he’s recorded at least one in each of his last six games. That’s not just a hot streak; that’s dominance. And it’s even more impressive when you consider where he started.
In his first seven games, Pearce had just 0.5 sacks, eight tackles, and two quarterback hits. Solid effort, but nothing that hinted at what was coming.
Since then? He’s flipped the script entirely.
Over the next seven games, Pearce not only racked up sacks but added three passes defensed, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He’s been everywhere.
The transformation has been remarkable. What started as a developmental rookie campaign has turned into a Defensive Rookie of the Year-level surge. And suddenly, Atlanta’s defense has a new identity-one that starts with No. 27 coming off the edge.
Remember the draft day drama back in May? That’s ancient history now. Falcons fans aren’t thinking about what it took to get Pearce anymore-they’re thinking about what’s possible with him leading the charge for years to come.
Pearce Is on a Trajectory That Looks a Lot Like the Greats
The hype around Pearce isn’t just about what he’s doing now-it’s about what it could mean going forward. And if you’re looking for a blueprint, just look at some of today’s elite pass rushers.
Take Myles Garrett, for instance. He’s the current sack leader this season with 21.5 and chasing all-time records.
But back in 2017, his rookie year? Through 11 games, he had just seven sacks.
The Browns took him first overall expecting greatness, and while it didn’t come instantly, it came in force the following year-13.5 sacks and a breakout that hasn’t slowed since.
Or look at Danielle Hunter. The longtime Vikings edge rusher has built a career on consistency and explosiveness.
Yet as a rookie, he posted just six sacks over 14 games. Year two?
He jumped to 12.5 and never looked back.
Pearce is already ahead of both of those guys in terms of rookie-year production-and he still has three games left to play.
A Foundation Piece for the Future
What Pearce has shown over the last month and a half isn’t just a flash of potential-it’s a foundation. He’s producing like a top-tier pass rusher right now, as a rookie.
And that’s not something you can teach. That’s instinct, athleticism, and relentless motor all coming together at the right time.
Even if Pearce didn’t record another sack this season-and there’s no reason to think he won’t-he’s already proven that he belongs. More than that, he’s shown that he can be the kind of player you build a defense around.
Ulbrich sees it. Falcons fans see it. The league is starting to see it, too.
James Pearce Jr. isn’t just having a good rookie season-he’s laying the groundwork for something much bigger. And if this is what he looks like now, just imagine what’s coming next.