J.J. Pegues was an exciting two-way player in college, and his scouting report looks at whether Pegues has the talent to become an impactful NFL player and if he will be able to continue playing both ways at the next level.
J.J. Pegues 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report and Film Analysis
Measurables:
Height- 6’2″
Weight- 309 lbs
Player Background:
Pegues excelled at both basketball and football at Oxford High School in Mississippi. He was a four-star recruit and committed to Auburn. In his two seasons with Auburn, he played in 24 games and made two starts for the Tigers. He started his college career as a tight end but converted to the defensive line prior to the 2021 season. Pegues transferred to Ole Miss in 2022 and played in 12 games with three sacks as a reserve defensive lineman. He became a starter in 2023 and made a big impact with a career-high in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss. Pegues once again was a full-time starter in 2024 and helped the team become the second-ranked scoring defense in the entire country. He earned Third Team All-SEC honors.
Strengths:
Pegues is a versatile player who plays the game with relentless effort. He has the build and athletic ability to play all over the place on the defensive line, and he did just that at Ole Miss. However, he doesn’t just display his versatility on the defensive side of the ball. Pegues was a legitimate offensive weapon for Ole Miss in short-yardage situations where he lined up at fullback and wildcat quarterback. He scored seven touchdowns and picked up 69 yards on 21 carries as a runner in 2024.
The quickness and agility that he shows as a runner on offense also translate to the defensive side of the ball. Pegues has an effective spin move along with quick, powerful, and active hands. He is a strong run defender with good toughness and upper-body strength. When Pegues is quick off the ball, he can quickly get into the backfield and blow up run plays.
Weaknesses:
Pegues stands too tall out of his stance and struggles to win leverage with a high pad level. When Pegues is beaten early as a pass rusher, he cannot currently consistently win with effective pass rush counters. He lacks ideal arm length, ranking in the 25th percentile in arm length for the position.
As a run defender, Pegues takes poor pursuit angles at times and occasionally has a slow reaction time. He doesn’t handle double teams well and can sometimes struggle to hold the point of attack. Pegues is an older prospect who will turn 24 years old during his rookie season.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Pegues is one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. A converted tight end who played all over the defensive line on defense and scored seven touchdowns in one season as a wildcat quarterback on offense in college makes him an extremely unique prospect. Pegues’ versatility, quickness, and agility on defense give him a good amount of upside, but he will need to continue to develop as a pass rusher and gain more consistency as a run defender. His ability on offense absolutely could translate to the NFL, and he did participate in fullback drills at the combine. Pegues projects as a rotational defensive lineman with some upside who could potentially take some offensive snaps in short-yardage and goal line situations.
Prospect Grade:
Fifth Round
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
