Gators in NFL: Ricky Pearsall Set for Breakout Season
Week 1 of the NFL season has ended, but former Florida Gators star Ricky Pearsall is just getting started.
The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, a first-round draft pick in 2024, stood out in the season-opening win against the Seattle Seahawks with four receptions for 108 yards to start his sophomore campaign.
Pearsall is eager to begin his first full season with the 49ers, a significant step forward following the traumatic event he experienced just a year ago.
On Aug. 31, 2024, Pearsall was shot in the chest in downtown San Francisco in an armed robbery attempt that occurred while he was shopping. The only thing Pearsall wondered was if he was going to live, and if he did, would he be able to play football again, according to ESPN.
“Unfortunately, I revisit that every single night I go to bed,” Pearsall said to the Associated Press. “I kind of just carry that with me. Now it’s not as much as avoiding it and whether revisiting it or not revisiting it. It’s more about how I deal with it and the light I put on it. It’s more a positive light and things I can get out of that, to try to inspire other people. As far as my own personal stuff, I’ve been doing a better job dealing with it, myself.”
Despite making it back onto the field for the last 11 games, Pearsall never proved why he was drafted in the first round.
Now, one year later, when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler surveyed NFL executives and scouts asking to predict a potential breakout player award winner for the 2025 season, their pick was Pearsall.
“I am high on Ricky and he should see plenty of targets — he has to prove he can stay healthy, though,” an NFC exec told ESPN.
Despite missing the first six games last season, Pearsall finished his 2024 debut season with 31 receptions, 400 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Heading into his second-year, expectations are high with a larger role in the 49ers’ offense, and he started strong with his Week 1 performance.
With tight end George Kittle currently suffering from a hamstring injury and wide receiver Jauan Jennings coming off a shoulder scare, Pearsall may become a primary target for Purdy this NFL season.
At Florida, Pearsall spent two seasons in Gainesville after transferring from Arizona State. During his time at Florida, he played a vital role in the offense.
In 2023, he started all 12 games at wide receiver and emerged as the Gators’ top target, leading the team with 65 receptions, 965 receiving yards and an average of 80.4 yards per game.
If Pearsall continues playing at his current level, he could be on the verge of a breakout sophomore season for the NFL.
Category: College Football, Football, Former Gators, Gator Sports, Gators Football, NFL
