NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Wednesday that Tennessee junior defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. was named one of 20 semifinalists for its 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year award, the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation.

The talented edge rusher is one of 20 semifinalists for the presitigious accolade, including one of six from the Southeastern Conference and one of seven defensive players. He becomes the third Vol in the Josh Heupel era to be named a Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist, as Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt were both honored during the 2022 campaign. Hooker was later tabbed a finalist for the award.

Considered a top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft, Pearce has been a force for Tennessee’s dominant defensive unit. The junior from Charlotte, North Carolina, leads the Vols with 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks so far in 2024, while his 43 total QB pressures according to PFF rank first in the SEC and third among edge rushers nationally.

Pearce has been especially productive in SEC play this fall, registering at least a half-TFL or sack in each of his last six games played. He was tabbed SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after the Oct. 12 win over Florida, totaling seven tackles, one TFL and a half-sack in addition to a pivotal forced fumble and recovery at the goal line in the overtime victory.

He has now reeled in recognition from three national award committees in the past week, also being tabbed a 2024 semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and the Lombardi Award.

The Walter Camp Player of the Year will be voted on by the 134 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors later this month. Three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and the 58th recipient of the Walter Camp Player of Year award will be announced on the ESPN College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 12.

2024 Walter Camp Player of Year Semifinalists
Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
Bryson Daily, QB, Army West Point
Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Travis Hunter, WR/DB, Colorado
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Walter Nolan, DT, Ole Miss
James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Edge, Virginia Tech
Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame