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Ricky Pearsall

49ers Looking To Rookies For Returner Role

July 5th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ely Allen

For the past two seasons, the 49ers have enjoyed the utility of veteran wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud. While only ever providing minimal use on offense with 26 catches for 378 yards and one touchdown as a receiver in San Francisco, McCloud has provided consistency as a return man. With McCloud now on the other side of the country as a Falcon, the 49ers will be looking to fill that returner role in 2024.

For that, San Francisco will likely look to two members of its rookie class. First-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and fourth-round wideout Jacob Cowing both have gotten early looks as returners.

An experienced punt returner for the Gators during his two seasons in Gainesville, Pearsall has the requisite experience to step into the role. As a fifth-year senior, he averaged 11.5 yards per return. His only kickoff return, though, came in his true freshman season with the Sun Devils in 2019. Pearsall’s allure during the draft process was his ability to play all over the offense and on special teams. Per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, San Francisco has worked him out all over the field with the intention that he will be able to step in anywhere in case of injury.

Cowing had about the same number of returns as Pearsall in college during his two seasons at Arizona but failed to produce the same results. Still, Matt Barrows of The Athletic pegs him as the likelier candidate for a return job. Cowing is faster than McCloud was and a bit bigger, as well. His skillset with screens and end arounds would make him an ideal injury replacement for Deebo Samuel, as well.

The team still has second-year receiver Ronnie Bell, who was second on the team with 10 punt returns last year, and Samuel returned only four fewer kickoffs than McCloud in 2023. Still, Pearsall and Cowing may offer a bigger upside than Bell while allowing Samuel to remain on the sideline during special teams.

49ers Sign First-Round WR Ricky Pearsall, Wrap Up Draft Class Signings

June 20th, 2024 at 8:39pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers wrapped up their rookie draft class contracts today, inking their first-round pick, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. With their rookie contracts done, San Francisco’s front office can shift their focus toward the other priorities of the offseason.

Pearsall benefitted from a busy first round that featured an unprecedented run of offensive prospects to start the night. Despite being projected by some outlets as a second- or third-round pick, Pearsall found himself getting selected at the back of the first round as the sixth wide receiver off the board and one of seven on Day 1.

Pearsall, an Arizona-native, originally opted to attend college at nearby, in-state Arizona State, seeing minimal time in his first two years with the Sun Devils. In his third year with the team, Pearsall became a full-time starter, leading the team in all three receiving categories with 48 receptions, 580 receiving yards, and four touchdowns off of the arm of this year’s No. 2 overall pick, Jayden Daniels.

Like Daniels, Pearsall hit the transfer portal after 2021 and headed to the SEC, joining the Gators in Gainesville. In his first year with the team, Pearsall led Florida with 661 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions. With a new quarterback in 2023, Pearsall continued to lead the Gators in receiving production with 65 catches for 965 yards. His college offenses also took advantage of his speed on the ground. Over his five years, he added 21 rushes for 253 yards and five rushing touchdowns to his ledger.

In San Francisco, Pearsall comes in as the prototypical style of wide receiver that the 49ers love. Along with the advantage of having already shared a wide receivers room with Brandon Aiyuk in Tempe, Pearsall was utilized in Gainesville in a very similar fashion to the team’s other top wideout, Deebo Samuel. Pearsall’s abilities made him usable all over the field, much in the same way Samuel is currently utilized in San Francisco. While Pearsall may not be ready to step into that role right away, his presence makes a potential Samuel-departure in the future much easier to stomach.

With Pearsall’s contract taken care of, only eight rookie draft picks remain unsigned: Chicago’s Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr., Cincinnati’s Amarius Mims, New York’s Malachi Corley, and Arizona’s Trey Benson.

Here’s a breakdown of the entire 2024 rookie class for the 49ers:

Ten Unsigned 2024 Draft Picks Remain

June 17th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL collectively is ahead of where it was last year with regards to draft signings. Teams have navigated the guarantee issue second-round contracts presented in recent years. Unlike 2023, when 30 players were unsigned in late June and nearly half the second round was without contracts entering July, we are down to 10 unsigned rookies from the 2024 class. Here is the lot still without NFL contracts:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

The clearest difference between this year and last comes from the second round. On June 17, 2023, half the second-rounders were unsigned. The 2011 CBA introducing the slot system has removed most of the drama from rookie-deal negotiations, but second-rounders continue to make guarantee gains. This contractual component has complicated matters for teams in the past, but that has not been the case — for the most part — this year.

A number of 2021 second-round picks remain attached to their rookie deals. Those terms illustrate the improvements Round 2 draftees have made on that front since. The Jaguars did guarantee 2021 No. 33 pick Tyson Campbell‘s first three seasons; his fourth brought $50K guaranteed. This year, the Bills needed to guarantee nearly Keon Coleman‘s entire rookie contract. Coleman has three years locked in and $1.74MM of his $2.1MM 2027 base salary is guaranteed at signing. This year’s No. 59 overall pick (Texans tackle Blake Fisher) secured more in Year 4 guarantees than Campbell’s deal contains.

A sizable gap does exist between Coleman’s final-year guarantees and those of Falcons DT Ruke Orhorhoro (No. 35 overall). The Clemson product has $966K of his $2.1MM 2024 base guaranteed. This gulf has likely caused the holdup for the Chargers and McConkey, a player who — after the exits of longtime starters Keenan Allen and Mike Williams — stands to be a central figure in the Bolts’ first Jim Harbaugh-era offense. With the top players in Round 2 on the cusp of seeing fully guaranteed deals, McConkey can set another notable precedent while gaining some additional security for himself.

First-round contracts have only been fully guaranteed en masse since 2022, when Vikings safety Lewis Cine — chosen 32nd overall — secured those terms. Though, matters like offset language still have been known to slow negotiations. Extended holdouts into training camp no longer occur among rookies, with players risking the loss of an accrued season toward free agency — a product of the 2020 CBA — by doing so. Corley and Benson were this year’s top third-round picks. The 49ers gave No. 64 overall pick Renardo Green two fully guaranteed years. That has likely caused a holdup for the Jets and Cardinals, considering the progress made via contracts agreed to by earlier draftees.

49ers Select WR Ricky Pearsall At No. 31

April 25th, 2024 at 10:46pm CST by Ben Levine

With Brandon Aiyuk trade speculation swirling, the 49ers have certainly raised some eyebrows with their selection at No. 31. With the second-to-last pick of the first round, the 49ers haves selected wide receiver Florida WR Ricky Pearsall.

[RELATED: 49ers Discussing First-Round Trade Involving Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel]

Following a breakout campaign at Arizona State in 2021, Pearsall transferred to Florida in 2022. After putting up similar numbers during his first season with the Gators, the wideout took a major step forward in 2023. Pearsall finished this past season with 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns, putting him firmly on the NFL map.

Pearsall was one of the more rapid risers in recent weeks. The Florida product saw his stock rise from probable Day 2 pick to surefire Day 2 pick to late first-round selection. With five WRs already being selected this evening, the 49ers didn’t want to press their luck and ended up opting for the wide receiver a bit higher than projections suggested.

With Aiyuk seeking a lucrative extension, the 49ers have continually stated that they wanted to retain the former first-round pick. However, reports from yesterday suggested that the front office was discussing the wide receiver (along with teammate Deebo Samuel) in trades.

While Aiyuk remains on San Francisco’s roster at the moment, the Pearsall pick will only add fuel to the fire. With the first round having passed, a window for the 49ers to unload Aiyuk or Samuel closed. It will be interesting to see if the team would accept Day 2 compensation for one of its standout wide receivers. With the Bengals not expected to trade Tee Higgins — his request notwithstanding — attention could be focused on Aiyuk. Then again, the 49ers have relied on their WR duo to help Brock Purdy. This Pearsall move could potentially be a bridge to the Samuel-Aiyuk duo separating in 2025.

The 49ers could extend Aiyuk and push their cap predicament to 2025, so Pearsall might not immediately step into a major role. Still, the rookie should be the clear-cut WR3 if both Deebo and Aiyuk stick around, with Jauan Jennings and Ronnie Bell representing the team’s other options at the position.

Latest On Teams Targeting WRs In First Round

April 20th, 2024 at 4:08pm CST by Ely Allen

We know that the Steelers have been identified as a team that could be likely to trade for a veteran wide receiver this offseason, but what about teams looking for wide receivers in the first round? A lot of focus has been placed on teams looking to draft quarterbacks, per usual, but Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post provided us with the names of a few teams targeting pass-catchers on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. La Canfora identifies the Cardinals, Bears, Colts, Bills, 49ers, and Chiefs as the likely suspects.

Some of these, we’ve heard plenty about already. At No. 4 overall, the Cardinals sit in the line of picks that are all expected to be quarterbacks, according to most mock drafts, meaning they are expected to trade down from the position. Many see them trading back to No. 6, allowing the Giants to select Daniel Jones‘ potential replacement. This would leave them in line to draft the class’s top receiver prospect, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. This could provide Arizona with a new top receiver after the departure of Marquise Brown to Kansas City.

This would require the Chargers to pass on wide receiver, a huge position of need after watching both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams depart this offseason. While it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Los Angeles select Harrison, new general manager Joe Hortiz (from Baltimore) has shown an affinity for Notre Dame prospects like Ronnie Stanley and Kyle Hamilton. Combine that with the addition of new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, and connections to Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt make all the sense in the world. Roman’s run-heavy offensive mentality makes tackle a bigger priority than receiver in the first round.

Wide receiver has been seen as less of a priority for the Bears after they acquired Allen in a trade from the Chargers. Still, drafting a top receiver prospect like LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze could give projected new quarterback Caleb Williams a strong trio of targets with Allen and D.J. Moore. Chicago could pair the draft’s QB1 with a potential WR1 as ESPN’s Matt Miller tells us that there are some teams in the NFL who see Nabers and Odunze as better prospects than Harrison. The three receivers are closer than people may think on most draft boards and their order of preference could come down to scheme and fit.

In Indianapolis, the Colts would love to bring in a first-round receiver for second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Josh Downs and Alec Pierce were decent options behind Michael Pittman Jr., but having a true weapon across the field could really help both Richardson and Pittman. If Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze find their way off the board by the time the Colts select at No. 15, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. could fall into their lap, though Odunze could still be available if nobody takes a flyer on him as the best player available regardless of position.

At the back end of the first round, wide receiver has become a big need for the Bills after they watched Gabriel Davis depart in free agency and traded away Stefon Diggs to the Texans. Khalil Shakir now leads the position room, and though the top four receivers aren’t expected to be available by the 28th pick, pairing Shakir with Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, FSU’s Keon Coleman, or Florida’s Ricky Pearsall could be productive.

As for the 49ers and Chiefs in the last two picks of the draft, San Francisco is a bit of surprise inclusion after recently paying Deebo Samuel and still currently denying that Brandon Aiyuk is available via trade. Still, if Aiyuk is potentially on the way out, taking flyer on Mitchell, Coleman, or Pearsall could work out.

As for Kansas City, they’ve tried their fair share of veteran free agent additions for Patrick Mahomes, and will do so again with the addition of Brown this offseason, as well as some draft picks in the second round or later. We’ve seen the Chiefs have success with smaller wide receivers with speed, so bringing in Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, Michigan’s Roman Wilson, or Texas’ Xavier Worthy could make a lot of sense.

Whoever doesn’t hear their name called on the first night of the draft shouldn’t have to wait too long. Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s latest mock draft showed the Panthers selecting McConkey with their first pick of the draft, which will be the first pick of the second round. If McConkey is already off the board, Wilson and Worthy offer similar skill sets.

It’s a deep class for wide receivers this year. Top prospects like Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, and Thomas are considered no-brainers as first-round picks. An early run on those four could see many of the pass-catchers behind them find their way into the first round, as well. Even so, there are nearly 20 wideouts with a projected third-round grade or better. Not only is this a wide receiver class with lots of talent up top, but talent throughout will benefit teams who need receivers but will have to target other positions of need first.

Latest On First-Round WR Prospects

April 8th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

The top of the 2024 draft board features an intriguing trio of wideouts (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze). While the order in which they will hear their names called is in question, there will be other prospects at the position who are selected on Day 1.

In the case of many of the top options in that regard, the pre-draft process has resulted in positive developments. LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., for instance, has long been ranked as a first-round prospect. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman notes Thomas has impressed evaluators both on and off the field, something which will help his already high draft stock. The 6-3 junior posted 1,177 yards and an FBS-leading 17 touchdowns in 2023, flashing the potential to serve as a high-end secondary WR option (as he did playing alongside Nabers) at a minimum in the NFL.

Aside from the top four receiver prospects, several others have a strong chance of landing near the back end of the first round. Two candidates on that front are Texas’ Xavier Worthy and Georgia alum Ladd McConkey. Both of those wideouts have received first-round grades from a number of NFL teams, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports.

Worthy broke the all-time 40-yard dash record during the 2024 Combine, posting a time of 4.21 seconds. Already known to be one of the top vertical threats in this year’s strong class, Pauline notes his Pro Day helped ease concerns about his all-around game translating to the pro level. In the case of McConkey, a faster-than-expected 40 time (4.39) has also helped his stock. Regarded as an elite route runner, the 5-11, 186-pounder will likely be destined to hold a slot role in the NFL but his floor is believed to be higher than most other prospects in the class.

Around the same time that Worthy and/or McConkey are selected, Adonai Mitchell could also very well come off the board. The latter spent his first two seasons at Georgia, making just 38 catches during that span. At transfer to Texas paved the way for a larger offensive role and a sharp increase in production, though; Mitchell posted 854 yards and 11 touchdowns on 55 receptions in 2023. Depending on how teams view him relative to other WR prospects in the same range, Mitchell could be the fifth wideout taken on Day 1.

Of course, a number of highly-regarded pass-catchers will still be available on Day 2. Pauline adds that Ricky Pearsall has seen his stock rise considerably in the lead-in to the draft. The Florida alum has received an early second-round grade from “several teams,” per Pauline and he could be one of many receivers added in the top 50 selections. As teams continue to evaluate the top options at every position over the coming days, receiver remains on track to be a very popular target throughout the top of this year’s draft.