The 49ers stood pat on Day 1 of the NFL draft. Instead of maneuvering up or down, they sat at No. 31 and selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.
It wasn’t a player on many people’s radar as a first-round pick, much less as a selection for San Francisco. Wide receiver landed in a strange place on the 49ers’ list of needs in the draft. They had to add some depth and potentially a starting-caliber player for either now or in the future. With it looking more and more like WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk will both be around for the 2024 season, Pearsall’s place now fits as more of a long-term piece than a short-term fix.
While adding a player like Pearsall to bridge the gap between 2024 and beyond, the 49ers still have some key needs to fill on both lines, in the secondary and other spots on their roster. They might’ve reached a bit on Day 1, but there are still plenty of options available on Day 2 who should be able to help them check boxes in the second and third rounds:
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