In the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall from the University of Florida 31st overall.
"This is a legendary program," Pearsall said after being drafted. "I just appreciate the entire organization for taking a chance on me and I'm going to prove them right. I'm looking forward to getting the work in and showing everybody."
Keep reading to learn more about San Francisco's newest wide receiver.
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Pearsall grew up with the nickname "Slick Rick," as seen in his social media username @S1ickSzn.
"That nickname started when I was young. My friends called me that through high school and middle school and then it just stuck," Pearsall said on the Up & Adams Show.
"They called me Slick Rick because of the rapper and then it just stuck with Slick for short. At that point, it was carried to Florida and they just blew it up and ran with it," he added in a one-on-one interview with 49ers team reporter Lindsey Pallares.
Pearsall's football journey began at the age of three years old, when his father, Ricky Sr., taught him how to catch a football using Skittles candy in their backyard. His father was also a wide receiver who played college football at the University of Northern Arizona, and he continued to coach Ricky Jr. in his youth.
Pearsall went on to play Division I football at Arizona State University from 2019-21. As a Sun Devil, he played as a versatile piece in head coach Herm Edwards' offense, racking up 78 yards and two touchdowns in the run game, recording 794 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver and even completing a touchdown pass and 111 yards through the air.
The wide receiver later transferred to the University of Florida and played in the SEC conference from 2022-23. At Florida, Pearsall notched 1,626 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, leading the Gators in receptions (65), receiving yards (965) and receiving yards per game (80.4) in his final season. He also made 15 punt return attempts for 153 yards during his time in Gainesville.
On top of his versatility, Pearsall takes pride in his route running, speed and pass catching skills. He's gone viral online for a mid-air one-handed catch he made between two defenders in a game against the Charlotte 49ers last season. Watch the play here:
Across five years of playing football at Arizona State and the University of Florida, Pearsall has played under five different position coaches and four different offensive coordinators. The wide receiver brings a wealth of experience and diverse knowledge of the game as a rookie in San Francisco's offense. He shared that his football IQ is a trait that flew under the radar in his pre-draft evaluations.
"My knowledge of the game – it's hard to measure that, obviously... I've learned a lot of different playbooks so I feel like I can pick something up like that really fast when I get to a team. I'm really excelling at that kind of standpoint."
At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Pearsall ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds, along with a 42-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 10 feet, 9 inches.
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein described Pearsall as a "dependable slot target with good size and soft hands." He continued by saying the receiver "appears to play with an idea of how to manipulate certain coverage looks and leverages."
Pearsall is bound to seamlessly fit in The Bay, given his love for dancing, which is a huge aspect of the Bay Area's vibrant culture.
"I'm a good dancer," Pearsall shared with Fangirl Sports Network. "I like to think I'm a good dancer, I hope other people think I'm a good dancer."
The wide receiver was quick to show off his moves in the end zone at Arizona State and Florida, and was even spotted doing the "smeeze" in this video, a dance that originated in the Bay Area over 10 years ago.
