James Pearce Jr. has forced his name into the headlines early in Atlanta Falcons training camp.
During practice on Sunday, Pearce Jr. got into a few fights with his teammates, showing he has the fire to play in the National Football League.
Rookie edge James Pearce Jr. was at center of two practice fights today in Atlanta. “He’s as prideful as it gets,” DC Jeff Ulbrich said. “When every ounce of your body is trying to prove who you are, it can get a little wacky sometimes. His anger got the best of him at times."
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) July 27, 2025
When you consider all the talk about Pearce Jr. going into the draft, you can't help but like hearing about the fire he is showing.
Falcons first-round pick is already debunking his predraft question marks
James Pearce Jr. was more talented than his No. 26 selection would have you believe. It was reported that many teams avoided him due to his work ethic in practice.
However, that was something the Falcons did not believe, as they were willing to take him as high as No. 15.
And they are already being proven correct, as the first-round rookie is proving that he is a nasty, hard-working football player.
Players who don't care aren't going to get into fights in practice; they are going to jog around and not try their hardest, which is not the case for the former Tennessee Volunteer.
The coaching staff did say it crossed the line between playing with fire and playing with anger, so that is something he needs to work on.
But, as Jeff Ulbrich said, he is trying to prove himself. He heard all the pre-draft talk and is already trying to show it was incorrect.
It is interesting to see the difference between him and the Falcons' other first-round pick, Jalon Walker. Walker plays with fire inside, while Pearce Jr. plays with fire outside. Both have their perks, and neither is better than the other.
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All in all, you want your rookies to take what was said about them personally. Everything that was said about Pearce will only make him want to work harder, and that is something we are already seeing.