It's no secret that the Atlanta Falcons drafted a future star in James Pearce Jr. Amid a sensational end to his rookie season, Pearce is emerging as a frontrunner in Defensive Rookie of the Year conversations, and his performance against the Bucs in Week 15 may have been the cherry on top.
The Falcons gave up a lot to trade up for the Tennessee product, and that move has only aged better over time. He leads both the team and all rookies with eight sacks on the season, but he's displayed enough to lead former NFL scout and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick to believe his best is yet to come.
He won’t lead the league this year, but he will in the future. Tried to tell you 🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/iZ40kGJxTH
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) December 12, 2025
Before the season, Riddick boldly confessed he expected the 21-year-old to lead the NFL in sacks this year, but obviously that won't happen due to Myles Garrett's record-breaking season. But he still believes that it's only a matter of time before he's in the same tier as players like Garrett and T.J. Watt.
Louis Riddick thinks James Pearce Jr. will lead the NFL in sacks at some point in his career
In Atlanta's 29-28 upset over the Bucs Thursday Night Football, Pearce's sack streak continued for a sixth game, and it might have been his best single game yet. He logged two sacks, two tackles for loss, and two passes defensed in Tampa Bay, and is starting to make a push for the Pro Bowl this year.
During his time in Knoxville, he was among the most explosive pass-rushers in the nation, and was once looked at as a potential top-five pick in the 2025 Draft. His sheer explosiveness and knack for getting to the quarterback has translated seamlessly to the pros, and fans can't help but be excited.
Pearce has helped spearhead the Falcons' revitalized pass rush, and it's been crucial in aiding Jeff Ulbrich's defense turnaround. But part of why he's been so dominant has been because of the fact that opposing OL's can't double team both Pearce and fellow first-round rookie Jalon Walker.
So when those 1v1 matchups materialize, he's certainly been taking advantage. And it's gotten to the point where's making an elite pass rush even more of a matchup nightmare for offenses because there's too much star power to contain everyone. But he's the player they have to key in on the most.
Riddick has worked in front offices before, so he knows what it take to draft a true hit. It's clear that Terry Fontenot made one of his best decisions as general manager in drafting Pearce, and it won't take long for him to be one of the best in the business .