Kirby Lee - Imagn Images
The standard uniform for participants at the NFL Combine is pretty standard by now. Attendees wear tight shirts and bottoms that resemble underwear as they are observed by NFL teams as they decide the future direction of their franchise.
But, Tennessee Volunteer and first-round edge prospect James Pearce ad-libbed his combine outfit a little bit. He added a hoodie underneath the issued combine garb, but it didn’t slow him down at all.
Many had Pearce in the top-five of preseason big boards heading into last season. While he’s slipped a bit from that lofty status, the talented Pearce is still firmly considered a first-rounder by many, including PFF, which has him 10th in their latest rankings.
Pearce had 7.5 sacks this year after having 9.5 a year ago. That’s not elite production. But, it’s solid enough when you consider that the prevailing thought is that he’s far from a finished product. At 6-foot-5 and weighing 249lb with solid length and great athleticism, the hope is that he will continue improving and become a solid pass rusher in the NFL.
He showed off that athleticism at the combine on Thursday by running a blistering 40-yard dash while wearing a hoodie. Take a look.
James Pearce Jr runs a 4.47 on his second attempt💨
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 27, 2025
That’s flying! Considering the hoodie isn’t exactly the most aerodynamic piece of attire he could’ve wore, it’s even more impressive.
He looked great in the agility drills, too.
James Pearce Jr shows his lateral ability in the wave drill…
Smooth like butter.
pic.twitter.com/PaGHlrDgFO— Tri-Star Network (@TennesseeNet) February 27, 2025
Overall, Pearce had a great day, though I wonder if NFL teams will question why exactly he decided to wear a hoodie.