CBS Sports Sets the Bar High for Falcons Rookie James Pearce Jr.

The Atlanta Falcons sent a lot of draft capital to the Los Angeles Rams to trade back into the first round and draft Tennessee's James Pearce Jr.. There's no denying that.

But most NFL draft analysts appear focused only on what the Falcons gave up rather than what they also received in return. That wasn't the case Sunday for CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso.

The CBS Sports writer included Pearce on a list of top 10 rookies who could make an instant impact for their new teams in 2025.

"Nevermind the trade-up price here. The Falcons got a premier talent at a premium position at No. 26 overall. Just ask SEC offensive tackles. All Pearce did across two seasons at Tennessee was register a gargantuan, almost unheard of 21% pressure rate on 500-plus attempts to disrupt the quarterback," wrote Trapasso.

"He's tall, reasonably bendy, with room to add weight to his frame, and he already converts speed to plenty of power. The pass-rush move arsenal is diverse enough to keep blockers honest.

"For a team that needed an infusion of supreme talent along its defensive line in the worst way, Pearce is exactly the type to hit the ground running on this Falcons team. And, yeah, it helps he'll have a fellow rookie running mate in Jalon Walker and can learn from the similarly sized Leonard Floyd early in his career."

North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi would agree with Trapasso's claim about Pearce's power. A video of Lombardi analyzing Pearce's power along the edge began circulating social media over the weekend.

In large part because of that power, Pearce landed at No. 4 on Trapasso's list of top 10 immediate impactful NFL rookies. The only three rookies ahead of Pearce on the list were running back Ashton Jeanty, wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

As Trapasso explained, the other main reason for Pearce's inclusion on the list was Atlanta's poor pass rush. The Falcons were 31st in sacks last season.

Atlanta's edge rushing depth should give Pearce an opportunity to make an impact right away.

That's what seems to be getting lost in general manager Terry Fontenot's decision to trade up. Yes, it cost Atlanta valuable draft capital, and the Falcons didn't have a lot of capital to begin with this spring.

But it was an aggressive move to address a huge need. It's difficult faulting a team that does everything it can to win.

We can disagree with the way a team goes about trying to win. But if NFL analysts agree with Trapasso that Pearce can make an immediate impact, what the Falcons gave up for him shouldn't be the focal point of the trade analysis.