There’s one name that makes sense based on their production last season
It’s been a week since the NFL Draft. Amidst the flurry of grades and evaluations, one pick stood out as particularly controversial. San Francisco 49ers’ first-round selection, Ricky Pearsall, was ESPN’s choice for the most ‘head-scratching’ pick:
Fowler: Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 31. I’m not about to doubt coach Kyle Shanahan’s eye for offensive skill players, and I love Pearsall as a player. But his place as WR6 in this draft was unexpected. Most teams I spoke to pegged him as a Day 2 pick. Considering the 49ers still have Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk on the roster, bolstering the offensive or defensive line seemed like a sensible play.
The run on wide receivers and offensive linemen, paired with the inability to move out of pick 31, left the 49ers in a spot where they felt like they took the best available player for their scheme and culture. Whether Pearsall will turn out to be BPA is to be determined.
Instead of dwelling on Pearsall’s draft position, let’s delve into his potential role as a rookie. Pearsall isn’t expected to be the primary target unlike many first-year receivers. He’s likelier to be the fifth option on a team that boasts Aiyuk to, Samuel, Kittle, McCaffrey, and Jennings.
Let’s ignore an outlier season. In this offseason, if Pearsall surpasses 1,000 yards, you could argue the 49ers should have traded up for him. Last year, the Seahawks selected Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round out of Ohio State. He was predominantly a slot receiver—something many expect Pearsall to be.
Smith-Njigba played 250 snaps in the slot, the seventh-most in the NFL. He finished the year with 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers feel high for Pearsall.
Aiyuk and Samuel finished in the top 20 in slot receiving yards. Pearsall figures to cut into both numbers, although I doubt Shanahan would select a player this early if he were limited to playing in the slot.
Instead of a raw stat like total yards, first downs, and touchdowns, it may be a better way to look at Pearsall’s value. What percentage of his plays impact the offense? Aiyuk’s efficiency was second to none in 2023. Can Pearsall follow in the footsteps of his former and current teammate?
Any comparison will inevitably be linked to that player and his draft position. For example, the New England Patriots took Demario Douglas in the sixth round, but that’s who I keep coming back to for Pearsall’s first year. Most of Douglas’s production came from the slot(370 of his 561 yards), and 17 of his 31 receptions went for a first down. He didn’t score a touchdown, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say the 49ers quarterback situation in 2024 is slightly better than the Patriots last season.
To you, what would be a successful rookie season for Pearsall?
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