NFL Scout: Ricky Pearsall 'a Bit of a Reach' by 49ers amid Deebo, Aiyuk Trade Rumors

Not everyone is sold on the San Francisco 49ers using a first-round pick on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler spoke to one NFC exec who called the pick "a bit of a reach."

"He can be a nice No. 2 or No. 3 receiver, a good player, but that was a bit of a reach, in my opinion," the personnel evaluator said.

Pearsall split his collegiate career at Arizona State and Florida, emerging as a versatile threat in his final season in Gainsville. He recorded 65 receptions for 965 yards and four touchdowns as a senior and then put on a stellar athletic performance at the 2024 NFL combine to move up draft boards.

Still, even Pearsall was surprised to hear his name in the first round.

"I was definitely shocked to see San Francisco pop up on my phone and I picked it up," Pearsall told reporters last month. "I think the only time I actually met with them was during the Senior Bowl when you're kind of doing like the little speed dating meetings. So that's really the only time I really got to talk to them.

"But as far as that, I didn't really have too much conversation and contact with them. My agent was trying to contact them leading up, obviously, to the Draft Day. But as far as serious interest, I don't think that I was aware of this, no."

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported most teams pegged Pearsall as a second-round pick.

The 49ers likely see Pearsall as a long-term replacement to either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, who were both subject to trade rumors around the draft. Aiyuk is set to play out the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2024, while Samuel has no guaranteed salary remaining on his deal beyond next season.

San Francisco will have to begin trimming payroll sooner than later with a long-term contract for quarterback Brock Purdy in the offing. Grabbing Pearsall and installing him into the system for a year before shedding one of Samuel or Aiyuk makes some sense.

We'll just have to see whether the front office made the right call on which receiver to take.