During the extended losing streak, there was a sense of panic about the Atlanta Falcons not having a first-round pick in next year's draft after trading it away to select Tennessee's James Pearce Jr with the 26th pick.
And, honestly, the panic was valid; it would be tough to see another team make your pick in the top ten after another rough season while trading away a king's ransom to bolster the pass-rush.
However, the 21-year-old has silenced the doubters lately as he continues to prove he is the best rookie pass rusher in the NFL amid a late push for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Falcons couldn't be happier after a dominant stretch by James Pearce Jr.
All the attention went to Abdul Carter when looking at rookie EDGE rushers. The No. 3 pick joined a loaded New York Giants defensive line after a legendary career at Penn State. But the attention should now be on Pearce, who has taken down the quarterback in three straight games, helping lead a dominant Atlanta pass rush.
James Pearce Jr. is the only rookie in the NFL this season to have a sack in three straight games.
— Will McFadden (@willmcfadden) November 23, 2025
It isn't surprising to see the rookie do what he is doing. We saw flashes of it early in the year, but he wasn't getting as many snaps as he should've. That has changed as Jeff Ulbrich has become comfortable playing him upwards of 40 snaps a game.
On Sunday, he took down Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough twice, officially leading the team with 1.5 sacks in the 24-10 victory. Through his first eight games, he didn't even have a full sack. Since then, he has 3.5 across his last three games as he's burst onto the scene as of late.
To add to his great rookie campaign, he has forced a fumble and recovered a fumble, which was returned for 27 yards. There is only one rookie pass rusher who has more sacks than him—Jalon Walker.
To say the Falcons don't regret their 2025 draft class would be an understatement. They nailed four of their five picks, with the only "miss" being seventh-round tackle Jack Nelson.
If either Pearce or Walker can continue their dominant stretch, one of them could very well end up being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. There haven't been any other players around the NFL who have set themselves apart.
The biggest competition right now would likely be Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori.
Right now, Schwesinger likely has the overall edge. That said, sack numbers are the best way to land yourself some hardware at NFL Honors. If either of the Atlanta rushers can near double-digit sacks, they will be noticed.
Something else worth noting is that Pearce has tied and Walker has surpassed the sack total of last year's DROY winner, Jared Verse. Hopefully, some games against struggling offenses will get one of these guys at the top of the short list.