The San Francisco 49ers received a great injury status update regarding their first-round rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told the 49ers media that the former Florida Gators pass-catcher will be at practice on Monday, finally returning after many weeks spent out due to a shoulder injury, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
When asked what Shanahan liked about Pearsall's game, the head honcho spoke at length via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
“He just plays the position really well,” Shanahan said. “Whether he was outside, inside, either receiver, all three of the positions, he can separate down the field, he can separate underneath. He's got really good hands, extremely smart, very well-developed. I guess I'd call it a gym rat or something because you can just see he's worked on his routes, put in a lot of hours because you can see it on tape. And there's really nothing he can't do. He can fit in whatever role based off the other guys.”
Shanahan appears to appreciate his versatility, an important aspect of many of his players, likr Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel.
Ricky Pearsall's potential rookie impact for the 49ers this season
When GM John Lynch spoke about Pearsall, he echoed a similar sentiment.
“The one really impressive thing with Ricky, his highlight tape just kept going and going and going. He's an extremely consistent player who makes a lot of plays at a high rate and does so week in, week out. So that's exciting to add a player of that quality.”
Pearsall could be the team's primary kick or punt returner, depending on who makes the final 53-man roster. The 49ers have yet to resolve the contract extension issue with Brandon Aiyuk, but they may be close. The offense will be special to watch with their full complement of playmakers available in Week 1.
At the NFL combine, Pearsall ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds with a 1.57-second 10-yard split. Some viewed him as more of a second-round prospect, but Greg Cosell, a longtime NFL insider, had big positives to say about the prospect.
“Pearsall turned out to be one of my favorite receivers to watch as I got deeper into his tape and evaluation. He has extensive experience lining up outside and the slot. While many might box him in as a slot prospect, I believe with the expansion of NFL pass game concepts and the increase in multiple formations, Pearsall can be location versatile in addition to being deployed as a motion receiver which he did at Florida in 2023.”
The rookie pass-catcher still has a little more time to rehab and get back to 100 percent. The 49ers begin their season on Monday, September 9 in a home game against the New York Jets at 8:20 p.m. EST.
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