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What should fans know about Pearsall and where he fits in with the 49ers? And does it mean anything regarding the future of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel? Let's take a look.
What the 49ers like about Pearsall, and what general manager John Lynch said about the wide receiver situation
The 49ers appear to be excited about the overall package that Pearsall brings to the table, particularly his athleticism, toughness, and enthusiasm for the game. Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke about Pearsall to KNBR radio after their selection, saying he fit in well with what Shanahan, a former receiver himself, looks for in the players at the position.
"I think there's a group of traits... The kid can run," Lynch said. "He ran a 4.43. We always talk about the ability to cut outside his frame. He's very, very adept at that. The vertical helps him in his leaping ability. He's tough. He takes some hits, and he gets up right away, which I really appreciate. When we drafted him, he didn't say much, but what he said to me was, 'Coach, you're getting a workhorse.' That's what he looks like on tape, so that's pretty cool."
Shanahan also pointed out that Pearsall can help fill a need on special teams created by the free agency departure of return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud.
The addition of Pearsall won't exactly put an end to speculation regarding the futures of 49ers receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, both of whom were reported to be trade targets heading into the draft. But Lynch said the team is continuing to move toward a contract extension for Aiyuk, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, and that he views Pearsall as simply another quality addition to an already strong receiver room that includes Aiyuk, Samuel, and Jauan Jennings, who signed a one-year restricted free agent tender with the 49ers in March.
"There's a lot of positive talk," Lynch said of Aiyuk. "We're having a lot of good discussions -- working, efforting towards trying to get something done. We're excited to continue on that. Deebo's a fantastic player. Jauan's a fantastic player. We've got Chris Conley (who's) a guy that came on. It goes on and on of the guys that we're excited (about). We just think you keep adding good football players and it's going to serve your team well, and that's what we know we did today."
Mr. Everything
Pearsall (6-1, 189, 24 years old in September) has had a prolific football career as he was a top 150 national recruit at Corona Del Sol High School in Chandler, Arizona, where he set a state record for receiving yards in a single game (342 yards). He played three seasons at Arizona State, where he caught passes from future Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels, then he transferred to Florida, where he caught 65 passes for 965 yards and six total touchdowns (four receiving, two rushing) as senior in 2023.
But football isn't the only thing Pearsall excels at, according to Lynch. Former Arizona State head coach Herman Edwards spoke at length with the 49ers about Pearsall and raved about the receiver's overall athletic ability.
The catch
Pearsall had one of the best catches of the 2023 college football season, which was also perhaps the best catch on any of the highlight films of this year's draft prospects.
The catch took place in a game against Charlotte when Pearsall jumped high in the air to make a one-handed grab, then held onto the football after taking a collision from two defenders. Watch below:
"I don't know what got into me," Pearsall said of the catch during an interview with Good Morning Football on the NFL Network. "I just knew the ball was in the air and I had to go get it. When the ball was lofted, I was like, 'Go up and make a legendary play.'"
Pre-draft riser
Pearsall was a standout during the pre-draft process, shining during both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine. Pearsall was clocked at 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Combine with a 42-inch vertical jump, a 6.64-second 3-Cone Drill, and a 4.05-second 20-yard Shuttle time.
Pearsall was the No. 9-rated receiver on ESPN.com's board and the No. 35-rated player overall.
"Pearsall makes adjusting to passes thrown outside his frame look easy, and his one-handed snatch against Charlotte was one of the most impressive catches in 2023," wrote Steve Muench of EPSN. "His speed makes him a threat after the catch, as a runner and in the return game. He can stretch the field and shows the ability to make spectacular over-the-shoulder grabs. Pearsall has a good feel for how to create leverage getting off the line, is the only receiver to run a sub-6.7 three-cone at the combine this year and is a tough matchup when he gets a two-way go working out of the slot."
Built for this
Pearsall's father, Ricky Sr., was a record-setting receiver at Northern Arizona and got his son into football at age 3. According to an article in The Athletic, Pearsall's father used Skittles candy to help teach him how to catch the football. Pearsall would be rewarded with Skittles if he caught the ball with his hands but would have them taken from him if he caught it with his chest. Pearsall also started running cone drills at age 5.
Needless to say, all of that paid off in the end.
