James Pearce Jr.

James Cecil Pearce Jr. (born October 12, 2003) is an American football defensive end for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Early life and high school
Pearce Jr. attended Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a senior, he had 14.5 sacks and two interceptions. He committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football.

College career
As a true freshman at Tennessee in 2022, Pearce Jr. played in all 13 games and had five tackles and two sacks. He returned to Tennessee for his sophomore year in 2023. During the 2023 season, he ranked third in the SEC for sacks and fifth in the SEC regarding tackles for loss.