It’s All About the Traits

On the thirty first choose of the NFL Draft large names had been on the board, gamers the 49ers couldn’t have anticipated to be there in Jer’Zhan Newton, Cooper DeJean, and A.D. Mitchell. Seems who fell didn’t matter, Kyle Shanahan had already locked in on his goal: 6-1/189, 23-year-old Florida extensive receiver Ricky Pearsall.

Why Pearsall?

As at all times with the receiver picks it’s about what Kyle Shanahan values: separation, route operating, organising and popping out of breaks, altering speeds, dependable palms, and competitiveness. Pearsall checked the entire containers however one, he’s not an excellent YAC receiver with simply 9 missed pressured tackles this season.

Pearsall helped his trigger within the Senior Bowl practices at Cell.

“The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Pearsall was the receiver who caught my eye essentially the most throughout Senior Bowl practices. One of many high route runners on the occasion, he is ready to sink his hips and get out and in of his breaks, and he even flashed the velocity to win vertically. There wasn’t a route that he couldn’t run this week, and defensive backs had hassle protecting the ball out of his palms.”
– Jordan Reid, ESPN, Senior Bowl High Risers

The scouting report from NFL Community’s Daniel Jeremiah:

“Pearsall is a free, clean wideout with excellent palms and toughness. He’s fast in his launch and he understands the right way to change gears as a route runner. He’s fluid entering into and out of breaks. He has excellent palms. He assaults the ball on the highest level and makes some circus catches. After the catch, he’s fast to transition up the sphere and has the elusiveness to make defenders miss in area. He has a lean body, however he performs with glorious toughness and competitiveness. Pearsall adopted up a wonderful 2023 season with a stable week on the Senior Bowl and will have a beginning function from Day 1 for his drafting workforce.”

Shanahan additionally values testing numbers on the Mix and Pearsall was a standout in a number of classes, posting the quickest 3-cone time, together with a 4.41 40, 17 bench reps, and a 42 vertical.

Positives and Negatives

Professional: The palms. A 3% drop price. One-handed circus catches and a 50% contested catch price regardless of the skinny body. Good routes, nice at altering speeds, excessive factors nicely due to the massive vert. Competes nicely in large video games with six catches for 99 yards vs. Georgia, seven for 103 in opposition to LSU. His season greatest was 10 catches for 166 yards and a landing in opposition to South Carolina. He performs with toughness and is a keen blocker. Pearsall additionally returns punts.

Con: The dimensions. He’s too mild at 6-1/189 and may lose to press man protection and physicality. He lacks the bodily leverage to win extra steadily on contested catches. He wants so as to add to his core energy. Most of his catches had been in opposition to off-coverage. Age can also be a priority as he’s 23 and might want to see the sphere quickly and develop shortly.

Was this a attain choose? He was projected for 35-45.

He was picked somewhat early. Nonetheless, the Niners doubtless didn’t have a chance to commerce down with the top-six quarterbacks already taken.

This was Shanahan’s alternative out of the six receivers within the late first-early second group. It seems the Niners determined nicely earlier than Pearsall was chosen that will be the place group and a type of six could be the choose.

Why extensive receiver at 31?

With the Niners procuring Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel earlier than the draft, extensive receiver is an pressing want.

Why not the title gamers nonetheless on the board?  Newton has size considerations and the Niners have a physique kind they like on the defensive position. DeJean has tight hips and struggles to remain in section, however at free security he may have been optimized. A.D. Mitchell and Xavier Legette come all the way down to Shanahan’s ability profile preferences. With Kool-Support McKinstry there are effort questions.

What about heart? As I mentioned in my mock draft, heart has a low place worth, Shanahan prefers vets, and this heart class is ten deep.

What would you might have achieved?

I’d have tried to commerce up for Quinyon Mitchell or Terrion Arnold once they fell to date. Impression playmakers at a necessity place representing large worth that late. At 31, I mocked Legette, however Shanahan is aware of precisely what he’s searching for at receiver.

Ramifications

Choosing Pearsall at 31 signifies the workforce is seeking to transfer on from Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Niners are actually taking commerce requires Aiyuk, Samuel, and Jennings. One other receiver choose might be coming.

Expectations

Given his age and being picked at 31, Pearsall might want to get on the sphere within the close to time period to develop. Whereas he has returned punts, he’s not elite at it and higher returners may be had on Day 3 of the draft.

Pearsall has the routes, gear shifting, and palms to make an impression. Shanahan selected this particular chess piece with a plan in thoughts, we’ll see the way it performs out.