San Francisco chose Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 30th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night. This move provides the 49ers with a backup plan in case they can’t secure a long-term deal with Brandon Aiyuk.
Last season, Pearsall made 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns while playing for Florida. He could potentially serve as a slot receiver for the Niners.
Pearsall gained attention in college for making impressive catches, and now he joins the 49ers’ dynamic offense, which reached the Super Bowl last season.
This is the first time since 2021 that the 49ers have had a first-round pick. In 2021, they selected quarterback Trey Lance as the third overall pick. The team traded away their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 to move up nine spots to select Lance.
Despite rumors that one of their star receivers, Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, might be traded to improve their draft position, the 49ers decided to keep both for now. However, they still need to secure a long-term deal with Aiyuk, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
