The Niners surprised many with the selection of Pearsall in the 2024 draft, but the pick was more about the long-term, not the upcoming season. Pearsall is a tremendous route runner with great hands and a knack for getting open against zone coverage, but he lacks top-end straight-line speed. He produced modest numbers at Arizona State (with Jayden Daniels) and Florida (with Anthony Richardson) but truly broke out in 2023 with nearly 1,000 yards on 65 grabs. His value will rise dramatically when he takes over for either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, but that's not promised this year. Pearsall might be a late-rounder in redraft leagues but figures to go between 10th and 15th overall in pretty much every rookie-only draft.
The 49ers have an expectation that Pearsall (chest) will be able to play when first eligible to return from the reserve/non-football injury list Week 5, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Pearsall sustained a gunshot wound during an attempted robbery last Saturday and was discharged from the hospital one day later before the 49ers placed him on reserve/NFI on Labor Day. The rookie first-round pick returned to team facilities Tuesday, and head coach Kyle Shanahan told David Lombardi of The Athletic on Friday that Pearsall will rest up for about one week before beginning the rehab process in earnest. San Francisco hosts the Cardinals in Week 5 on Oct. 6, which gives Pearsall roughly one month to get back to full health. Jauan Jennings will handle the No. 3 receiver role behind Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk during Pearsall's absence.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: To begin rehab in roughly one week
Rotowire
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Pearsall (chest/shoulder) will focus on resting for roughly one more week before beginning his rehab process, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Pearsall, who will have to spend at least the first four games of the season on the reserve/non-football injury list, is in the early stages of recovery after having sustained a gunshot wound during an attempted robbery over the weekend. General manager John Lynch said Wednesday that he expects Pearsall to play in his rookie season, but it remains to be seen what sort of recovery timetable the 49ers have in mind. It's encouraging, though, that Pearsall is already nearing clearance to start rehab work. To begin the regular season, Jauan Jennings (oblique) looks set to operate as the No. 3 wideout behind Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Present at team facilities
Rotowire
Pearsall (chest/shoulder) was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list Monday and returned to San Francisco's team facilities Tuesday, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Pearsall managed to rejoin the team in some capacity just two days after Saturday's robbery attempt in which he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. San Francisco will doubtless take a cautious approach with the rookie first-round pick's recovery, but it's encouraging to see Pearsall already back at the team facilities. Due to his placement on the reserve/NFI list, Pearsall will not be eligible to suit up for the 49ers' first four games of the regular season.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Placed on NFI list Monday
Rotowire
The 49ers placed Pearsall (chest/shoulder) on the reserve/non-football injury list Monday, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Pearsall's placement on the reserve/NFI list rules him out for at least the first four games of the regular season after he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest as the victim of a robbery attempt Saturday. The rookie first-round pick was discharged from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center on Sunday after having had his condition upgraded from "serious" to "fair" earlier in the day.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Discharged from hospital Sunday
Rotowire
The 49ers announced that Pearsall (shoulder/chest) was released Sunday from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
Pearsall was upgraded from "serious" to "fair" condition earlier Sunday, and he's now been given clearance to return home. The development is obviously great news for the rookie receiver after he was shot in the chest as the victim of an alleged robbery attempt Saturday.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Stable after being shot in chest
Rotowire
Pearsall (shoulder) was the victim of a shooting Saturday in San Francisco and is in stable condition, Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento reports.
Per Cunningham, Pearsall was shot "through the chest in a robbery attempt over a Rolex" as the rookie was leaving a signing event and headed to San Francisco's Union Square. Cunningham added that both Pearsall and the suspect were shot following a struggle for control of the gun.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Practices in non-contact jersey
Rotowire
Pearsall (shoulder) returned to practice Monday in a non-contact jersey, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Pearsall's participation in practice is a positive step forward, even if he's wearing a blue non-contact jersey. The rookie first-round pick had been sidelined since Aug. 6 due to a shoulder subluxation he's dealt with since college and which caused him to miss all three of San Francisco's preseason contests. Pearsall has two weeks remaining to ramp up his activity level before San Francisco's regular-season opener against the Jets on Monday, Sept. 9.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Set to practice Monday
Rotowire
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday that Pearsall (shoulder) will return to practice Monday, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Pearsall has been sidelined since Aug. 6 due to a pre-existing shoulder sublaxation that he sustained in college, and he did not suit up for San Francisco's 24-24 tie in the preseason finale against Las Vegas. Shanahan appears to be doubling down on his comments following Friday's exhibition when he said that he was hopeful for Pearsall to return to practice this coming week. The rookie first-rounder's level of participation Monday should shed some light on his availability for the regular-season opener versus the Jets on Monday, Sept. 9. If he's healthy, Pearsall could be in line to play a meaningful role for the 49ers, as there's still lingering uncertainty around fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk's contract situation with the team.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Won't practice this week
Rotowire
Pearsall (shoulder) is not in line to practice this week and remains a non-participant Tuesday, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that there was hope Pearsall could make his preseason debut Friday versus the Raiders, but that ship seems to have sailed. The rookie first-round pick has missed roughly all but one week of training camp due to a shoulder issue, so he's been deprived of valuable installation reps in the 49ers' complex offensive scheme, as well as opportunities to establish chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy. That Brandon Aiyuk (contract dispute) has also remained off the practice field in that span only compounds the worth of Pearsall's missed practices. Pearsall still has nearly three weeks to get healthy ahead of San Francisco's regular-season opener against the Jets on Monday, Sept. 9, but at this point it seems unlikely Pearsall is significantly involved Week 1 even if he's back to 100 percent form.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Could suit up Friday
Rotowire
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that he's "hopeful" Pearsall (shoulder) will return to practice this week and be able to suit up for Friday's preseason finale against the Raiders, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
Pearsall is currently dealing with a shoulder injury, and he previously began training camp on the non-football injury list due to a hamstring issue. That's resulted in the rookie first-round pick missing a huge portion of valuable reps, including San Francisco's first two preseason games. With Brandon Aiyuk's hold-in still ongoing, it will be encouraging for Pearsall's prospects if he's indeed able to get back on the field soon and handle some preseason reps during Friday's road exhibition game against Las Vegas.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Shoulder injury resurfaces
Rotowire
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that Pearsall aggravated the shoulder injury that forced him to begin training camp on the active/non-football injury list, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Shanahan said the 49ers only removed Pearsall from the practice field Tuesday as a precaution, but the timing is unfortunate for the 2024 first-round pick. With Brandon Aiyuk currently present at camp but not practicing while awaiting a potential trade, there are first-team reps available in practice for Pearsall, and he could end up being a Week 1 starter alongside Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings. The former Florida standout will need to get fully healthy first, however.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Activated from NFI list
Rotowire
Pearsall (hamstring) has been activated from the active/non-football injury list.
As a result, Pearsall, who the 49ers took 31st overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, is in uniform for the team's first padded training camp practice, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Now that the Florida product is back on the field, he figures to compete with Jauan Jennings for slotting behind top WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, the latter of whom has been present for practice but not participating as he seeks a new contract.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Making recovery progress
Rotowire
Pearsall (hamstring) worked on the side at Friday's practice and has progressed to running routes at what has seemingly been full speed, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Pearsall remains on the active/non-football injury list, but it looks like he could be ready to be activated and resume practicing as early as next week. Once ready to retake the field, the rookie first-round pick might have an opportunity to take advantage of Brandon Aiyuk's current hold-in and get some extra first-team reps in.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: Hamstring injury appears minor
Rotowire
49ers GM John Lynch said Tuesday that Pearsall (hamstring), who remains on the active/non-football injury list, is expected to miss at least the first four practices of training camp, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Lynch said Pearsall will miss the first block of training camp, which consists of roughly four sessions, due to a hamstring injury he suffered away from team facilities. Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk is among veterans reporting for camp Tuesday, though he remains dissatisfied with his contract. It's encouraging that Pearsall doesn't appear to be staring at a lengthy absence, but the 2024 first-round pick's opportunities will depend on a combination of his health and the impression he makes on the coaching staff, although an Aiyuk trade would clear the rookie's path to a starting job.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ricky Pearsall: San Francisco surprise at 31st pick
Rotowire
The 49ers selected Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 31st overall.
This pick was very much unexpected and certainly won't do anything to quiet the trade rumors surrounding both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. The 49ers presumably wouldn't pick Pearsall in the first round to play the function of the WR3 role in San Francisco; they use the fullback position too much to make it worth it. Regardless of what the 49ers' front office might be up to, Pearsall is a very likable prospect out of Florida (and Arizona State before that). Pearsall (6-foot-1, 189 pounds) was an above-baseline producer for Florida and Arizona State on target shares in the low-20 percents, which are generally figures that imply WR2 or WR3 utility at the next level. Even if he's not a WR1, there's reason to think Pearsall can be uniquely explosive with WR2-type usage, especially after he dominated the combine with a 4.41-second 40, 42-inch vertical, 129-inch broad jump and 6.64-second three-cone drill.
