The Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings were identified as potential first-round trade partners ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
On April 12, A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman pitched a massive trade that involved the Chiefs surrendering several picks for the right to draft Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Below was the full trade proposal.
- Chiefs get No. 24 overall pick (first round).
- Vikings get Nos. 31 (first), 95 (third), 251 (seventh) and “a future fifth-round pick.”
“[Chiefs general manager] Brett Veach has been known to be aggressive in moving up for players he likes,” Goldman reasoned. Adding: “The Vikings [also] have the fewest picks in the 2025 NFL draft (four), so they’ll likely be looking to pick up some extras.”
Later, Goldman explained why he feels KC should pursue this deal — as well as Pearce.
“Pearce Jr. has a combination of athleticism, explosiveness, and production that rarely falls to this draft pick range,” he wrote. “It feels like a very similar situation to Trent McDuffie’s fall in the 2022 NFL draft that prompted a trade up from Kansas City.”
“You have a player who shouldn’t reasonably fall into striking distance that you can’t pass up on even if he isn’t the prototypical player the team goes after at the position,” Goldman continued. “The only reason he might fall is rumored character concerns that could amount to a nothing burger.”
At Tennessee, Pearce racked up 19.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for a loss in just 12 starts (39 appearances). He’s known as a speed rusher who also holds up well in the run game.
Why James Pearce Jr. Is Worth Chiefs Draft Trade With Vikings
Defensive end depth is still a huge need as of April 14. The Chiefs re-signed veteran pass rusher Charles Omenihu to help remedy this, but they also need more from Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
The 2023 first rounder was the last major KC investment at edge rusher, but to this point, Anudike-Uzomah has failed to live up to his draft status.
A Pearce selection would add some insurance — in case “FAU” doesn’t progress. Plus, Goldman was impressed by his “elite athletic and analytical profile.”
“[Pearce] ran a 1.58s 10-yard split and 4.50s 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, moving more like a defensive back than a 6-foot-5 and 245-pound edge rusher,” Goldman explained. “He recorded a 23.3% pressure rate in 2024, ranking first among all FBS edge rushers.”
“Fans may be turned off by the idea that he wins with speed off the edge,” the reporter went on to acknowledge. Responding: “The idea that a speed rusher can’t exist in Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive scheme is patently false. They have to be able to hold up against the run, and Pearce has proven he can do that despite being a lighter-weight edge rusher.”
Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr.’s 2025 NFL Draft Projection & Ranking Hint Trade up May Not Be Necessary
According to the opinion of The Athletic’s lead NFL draft analyst Dane Brugler, it may not be necessary for the Chiefs to trade up with the Vikings in order to land Pearce.
Within his comprehensive draft guide, “The Beast,” Brugler ranked Pearce 7th for his position and 36th overall. He also graded him as a second-round talent.
“Although not a technician, Pearce is a fast, linear athlete who can win races to the edge or collapse the pocket with force behind his extended, upward levers,” Brugler wrote, scouting Pearce.
“He was steady with his effort against the run in college, but more will be needed of him to hold up against NFL competition,” he continued. “Overall, Pearce is upright and frenetic in his play style, but his blend of explosiveness and power creates consistent disruption as a pass rusher. He shows promise in the run game, too.”
Brugler concluded that “if [Pearce] works to maximize his talent, he will be a productive pro.”
This is an odd draft in that it is expected to be very subjective — including in round one. Typically, most teams’ first-round grades are similar, but that may not be the case in 2025.
Players like Pearce could toe the line between top 20 pick and second-round selection. It all depends on who truly loves him and who doesn’t.
That’s up to Veach to determine. Because if he wants Pearce and feels another team might snag him before No. 31, it’s very possible the Chiefs GM could pull the trigger on a big trade like this one.
If not, it’s possible he could wait and get Pearce near the end of round one without giving up anything.
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