Tennessee Vols edge rusher James Pearce receives big honor from national media outlet

The Tennessee Vols have the best player in college football on their roster according to On3. 

On Thursday, On3 revealed their list of the top 100 players in college football. 

And Vols edge rusher James Pearce came in at No. 1 in their rankings. 

From On3: “James Pearce is simply a defender who you need to know where he aligns on any given snap. He launches like a rocket and has great B-gap rip/swim counters to keep tackles stressing. Coming off a season where he tallied 13 sacks, no returner defender is better at snatching impact plays (17.1%).” -- On3's Clark Brooks

Pearce, who will be a junior this fall, is already receiving some early hype as the potential No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

The Charlotte, NC native arrived at Tennessee in the summer of 2022 as a four-star recruit who started receiving a significant amount of attention late during the recruiting cycle. 

For much of Pearce's recruitment, the South Carolina Gamecocks were expected to land the talented edge rusher. A late push from the Vols, however, paved the way for Tennessee to sign Pearce during the early signing period, swiping an elite player from Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks in the process. 

Pearce had a massive breakout season for the Vols in 2023, totaling 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss despite receiving extra attention from opposing offensive lines. 

Outside of Pearce, the Vols didn't have any other players included in On3's ranking of the top 100 players in college football.