When the San Francisco 49ers selected wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, many assumed that it meant the team would move on from one of their top receivers in the near future, be it Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, or Brandon Aiyuk.
Well, the team re-signed Jennings to a two-year deal. Then, they restructured Samuel’s contract, making it financially difficult to move off him before his deal ends after next season. And finally, they extended Aiyuk on a four-year, $120 million deal that keeps him in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
Those moves created question marks around the selection of Pearsall, especially considering the former Florida Gators wideout was a first-round pick in a year that San Francisco needed production from their draft class.
Then, the situation was only further clouded when Pearsall began dealing with injuries during training camp, prompting him to miss a number of practices and a few preseason games. Of course, then came the unfortunate shooting that sidelined the wide receiver for the first six weeks of the season.
But, Pearsall’s unwavering determination to step back out on the field and be an impact player in Year 1 proved to be the catalyst for him being back even sooner than head coach Kyle Shanahan expected, and he was immediately thrust into a bigger role. He played 48 snaps against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a number of injuries for San Francisco’s top receivers, as Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL, while Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings were out with pneumonia-like symptoms and a hip issue, respectively.
In his NFL debut, Pearsall caught three passes for 21 yards, earning a standing ovation from the 49ers crowd at Levi’s Stadium after his first reception, as it was a productive day to just get back out on the field after an extended wait time to begin his professional career.
Things did not slow down from there, as Pearsall was a major part of the gameplan yet again this weekend, catching four passes for 38 yards and rushing for 39 yards in a big game while playing a majority of his snaps on the outside, as opposed to a fairly even split against the Chiefs between the slot and the boundary.
Looking back at it, it’s incredible that Pearsall is even playing, given his situation from the offseason. And, that’s come in a much bigger role than initially anticipated, as Pearsall has essentially been a starter since coming back healthy, due to the injuries at the receiver position.
How has he developed week-by-week for the 49ers?
“Big time. You could see it in practice,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said about Pearsall’s growth. “You see it really each practice with Ricky [Pearsall], just because he has been so limited in his stuff. But he picks it up fast. His stamina gets better and better and he just, he’s got a real natural feel for the game and now it’s about just getting a feel within our offense. And I think it’s gotten better each week.”
Pearsall isn’t the only 49er rookie that has seen meaningful action this year, as a lot of San Francisco’s draft class has already begun contributing, with right guard Dominick Puni and cornerback Renardo Green essentially evolving into starters at their respective positions.
But, he did not have a clear shot at playing time to begin the year and dealt with numerous injuries, leading to questions about how he would fit into the team at the midseason mark.
Well, with the injuries to receivers, Pearsall is getting his opportunity and showing that he could be the answer for the team sooner rather than later, if he isn’t already.
So long to the trade deadline shopping for receivers. Because San Francisco should still have one of the top groups of weapons in the NFL, with Pearsall only adding to that through his first two games.
