This close to the NFL Draft, we typically get a few rumors about off-field, maturity-based concerns for prospects.
Some concerns were completely justified. Others, we come to realize, we made up out of thin air, likely in hopes of said prospect slipping down the board in the draft.
One of those prospects targeted -- either deservedly or not -- this draft cycle is Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce. This is a tall, still-21-year-old rusher who had 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons in the SEC and dominated the NFL combine in early March.
It's hard to find him in Round 1 of many other mock drafts across the Internet despite those developments. On GoLongTD.com, longtime NFL reporter Bob McGinn recently published some not-so-glowing quotes from scouts on Pearce. On film, he's an easy first-round talent. But will the off-field concerns lead to him slipping all the way out of Round 1?
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Read below to see.
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 2
Travis Hunter
ATH
Colorado
• Jr
• 6'0"
/ 188 lbs
Even without a long-term quarterback solution on the roster, the Browns opt for the prospect many believe is the best football player in this class in Hunter.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Abdul Carter
EDGE
Penn State
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 250 lbs
The Giants love what they'd have up front on defense with Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and now, Carter.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
LSU
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 319 lbs
Easy pickings here for the Patriots, who get the consensus top blocker in the class for Year 2 of the Drake Maye era.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Mason Graham
DL
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 296 lbs
New Jaguars GM James Gladstone had a front row seat to the Aaron Donald era -- and how impactful a sturdy defensive line can be -- in Los Angeles with the Rams. Graham isn't quite Donald 2.0, but, to most, the best defensive tackle in the class.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Missouri
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 332 lbs
New Raiders GM John Spytek had a front-row seat to the impact Tristan Wirfs had in Tampa Bay. While Membou isn't quite the prospect Wirfs was, he's a comparable athlete, and that's really saying something.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Tyler Warren
TE
Penn State
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 256 lbs
The Jets have a gaping hole in their tight end room, and this represents the ceiling in the draft for Warren.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Jalon Walker
EDGE
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 243 lbs
The Panthers opt to continue to boost the defense and instead wait until Day 2 to add more to the weaponry for Bryce Young.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Colorado
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 212 lbs
The Saints go with Sanders, as new head coach Kellen Moore sees a lot of Jared Goff in the game of the Colorado quarterback.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Boise State
• Jr
• 5'9"
/ 211 lbs
The Bears get their Jahmyr Gibbs for Ben Johnson after fortifying the trenches in free agency.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 235 lbs
The 49ers aim for the super-dynamic pairing of Campbell and Warner on the defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Arizona
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 219 lbs
The Cowboys get the consensus top pure receiver in the draft in McMillan, who poses a serious rebounding and YAC threat at 6-foot-4 and around 220 pounds.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Texas
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 315 lbs
Banks gives the Dolphins stability at potentially two positions up front because of his guard-tackle versatility.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Donovan Jackson
IOL
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 315 lbs
The Colts make no mistake about protecting Anthony Richardson by picking the athletic, NFL-sized guard from Ohio State.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Mike Green
EDGE
Marshall
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 251 lbs
The Falcons add more to the outside pass-rushing group with the high-upside bend of Green from Marshall.
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Mock Trade from
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1 - Pick 16
South Carolina
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 220 lbs
The Buccaneers get aggressive to the most explosive safety in this class. They sent their third-round pick to the desert (No. 84) in this deal.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 197 lbs
The Bengals go best player available here with Starks, and he'll help to rebuild the secondary in Cincinnati.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Texas
• Jr
• 5'11"
/ 191 lbs
The new-look Seahawks add another weapon for Sam Darnold in Golden, who shined down the stretch for the Longhorns.
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Mock Trade from
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 1 - Pick 19
Oregon
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 310 lbs
After sliding back, the Cardinals get a taller interior rusher to learn from Calais Campbell early in his career.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 248 lbs
The Broncos pick the Michigan tight end to anchor the middle of the field for Bo Nix.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Texas
• Sr
• 5'11"
/ 194 lbs
The Steelers get a speedy, do-everything, inside and outside corner in Barron.
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Mock Trade from
Los Angeles Chargers
Round 1 - Pick 22
Jaxson Dart
QB
Ole Miss
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 225 lbs
The Browns get who they believe can be their quarterback of the future, and make sure they don't miss him, moving from No. 33 to this spot to get him.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 331 lbs
The Packers stop Grant's slide to give the defense another big body beyond veteran Kenny Clark.
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Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1 - Pick 24
Will Johnson
CB
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 194 lbs
The Vikings get their wish, and trade back with Washington for the Commanders to get the high-upside Johnson, who's coming off an injury and a down 2024.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Emeka Egbuka
WR
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 202 lbs
The Texans look to reload at the receiver group after the injuries to Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell in 2024. Egbuka has squeaky clean film and gets downfield in a hurry.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Grey Zabel
IOL
North Dakota State
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 312 lbs
The Rams can't resist the movement ability of Zabel at the guard position.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Donovan Ezeiruaku
EDGE
Boston College
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 248 lbs
A departure from the normal, oversized defensive front player for the Ravens, Baltimore gravitates toward Ezeiruaku because of his polish as a pass rusher.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Tyler Booker
IOL
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 321 lbs
The Lions aren't shy about making a surprise pick in the first round of the draft, and here they pick the huge, mauling guard from Alabama despite a poor pre-draft workout.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Walter Nolen
DL
Ole Miss
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 296 lbs
The Bills are happy to stop Nolen's slide here to formulate a dynamic upfield pass-rushing group on the inside with Ed Oliver.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Josh Simmons
OT
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 317 lbs
Simmons would've likely been picked much higher than this had he stayed healthy in 2024, and he's an ideal long-term project with potentially enormous upside at a valuable position in Kansas City.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
James Pearce Jr.
EDGE
Tennessee
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 245 lbs
I can't imagine the Eagles letting James Pearce slide past them at the end of Round 1. He's too talented.
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The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.