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Ricky Pearsall's shooting timeline, draft profile: 49ers WR details

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The San Francisco 49ers are back in prime time at home in Week 8 with a Sunday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys. Both teams need a win for this duel. San Francisco wants to stay at the top of the NFC West and Dallas wants to stay in playoff contention.

The 49ers have struggled with injuries on offense, particularly to the pass catchers. Reigning second-team All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with a knee injury he suffered in last week's loss to the Chiefs. Starting player Deebo Samuel Sr. is recovering from a hospitalization for pneumonia but practiced Thursday.

Jauan Jennings did not practice this week due to a hip injury that kept him out of the game last week. Tight end George Kittle also missed practice with a foot injury.

San Francisco's depth will be tested on Sunday. The 49ers may need plenty of snaps from rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who missed the first six weeks of the season after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest during an attempted robbery in late August.

Here's what you should know about Pearsall, the 49ers' first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, including his shooting recovery and scouting report.

Ricky Pearsall filming timeline

  • August 31, 2024: Pearsall is shot in the chest during an attempted robbery while walking on his way to an autograph signing in Union Square in San Francisco. The 17-year-old gunman allegedly attempted to steal Pearsall's watch and both were shot in the incident.
  • September 1, 2024: Pearsall is released from San Francisco General Hospital.
  • September 2, 2024: San Francisco placed Pearsall on the reserve/non-football injured list.
  • September 9, 2024: Pearsall was on the sideline during the 49ers' opening game against the New York Jets. During the game, the first responders who helped Pearsall at the scene of the robbery were honored.
  • Oct 19, 2024: The 49ers promoted Pearsall from the reserve/NFI list to the active roster.
  • Oct 20, 2024: Pearsall will make his NFL debut against the Kansas City Chiefs. He has three catches for 21 yards on five targets and receives an ovation from the home crowd after his first career reception.

Ricky Pearsall Scouting Report

San Francisco selected Pearsall 31st overall out of Florida in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the sixth of a record seven wide receivers selected in the first round.

Scouting reports praised Pearsall's route running, reliable hands and toughness. His biggest drawbacks were his lack of high-end top speed and his age (24 years old as a rookie). NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote that Pearsall “seems to toy with an idea of ​​how to manipulate certain coverage looks and leverage… but lacks ideal foot quickness to beat presses and maintain spacing.”

“Pearsall wasn't a home run hitter on tape, but he's a reliable receiving option with the running speed and ball skills to quickly become an NFL quarterback's favorite target,” The Athletic's Dane Brugler wrote in his report. “He has the skills and toughness to work inside or outside and return punts at the next level.”

Here's how Pearsall performed at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine:

  • 40 yard dash: 4.41 seconds (1.57 second 10-yard split)
  • Vertical jump: 42 inches
  • Long jump: 10 feet, nine inches
  • 3-cone drill: 6.64 seconds
  • 20 yard shuttle: 4.05 seconds
  • Bench press: 17 reps

Where is Ricky Pearsall from?

Pearsall is from Chandler, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. His father, Rick Pearsall Sr., played college football at Northern Arizona and his mother, Erin, played volleyball. Pearsall Sr. coached his youth soccer team and is a captain for the Phoenix Fire Department.

Pearsall was a three-star recruit at Corona del Sol High School. He began his college career at Arizona State and received offers from Air Force, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona and UC Davis.

He played in all 13 games as a true freshman alongside his future 49ers teammate Aiyuk. After three seasons at Arizona State, Pearsall transferred to Florida for his final two seasons of college football and led the Gators in receiving yards in both seasons.

49ers WR depth chart

Here's what the rest of the wide receiver depth chart looks like on the active roster aside from Pearsall, Jennings and Samuel Sr.:

The 49ers also have wide receivers Trent Taylor, Malik Turner and Terique Owens on the practice squad.

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