PFF Projects Top Pass Rusher to Panthers in Way-Too-Early 2025 Mock Draft

With the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers are projected to select...

Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA

Pro Football Focus released it's way-too-early mock draft for 2025 and with the first overall pick, they have the Carolina Panthers selecting Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr.

"After trading away Brian Burns, the Panthers find their next athletic edge rusher in Pearce. The sophomore’s 21.3% pressure rate ranked third among college football edge defenders, as did his 92.4 pass-rush grade. The scariest part is that he won almost exclusively off athleticism against SEC tackles. If Pearce develops more pass-rushing moves, watch out."

The draft order that Pro Football Focus used was based on Super Bowl 59 odds.

Should Carolina end the 2024 season with the worst record in the NFL for the second consecutive year, you'd have to imagine there's going to be a lot of conversation about the quarterback position. Did Bryce Young not show any signs of promise? If that's the case, they could consider taking the top quarterback in next year's class, which many believe to be Shedeur Sanders of Colorado. Although taking a quarterback in the first round two times over the span of three years isn't ideal, it's not like it hasn't happened before.

Even if Carolina lands in the top five, Pearce could still be in play for them simply because teams will always push their way up the board for a quarterback. In 13 games this past season for the Vols, Pearce totaled 28 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles.