SANTA CLARA – Ricky Pearsall’s job application came with impressive letters of recommendation that empowered the 49ers’ first-round selection in Thursday night’s NFL Draft.
Those go beyond the text messages general manager John Lynch promptly received from Pearsall’s Arizona State cohorts Brandon Aiyuk (“Fire pick. No lie.”) and Herm Edwards (“Great pick. He won’t let you down.”)
Among the initial reactions once the 49ers chose Pearsall at No. 31 overall:
C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans’ quarterback, on Bleacher Report’s draft show: “Bro, he’s elite. You’ll see. Especially in that offense, Kyle is going to dial it up for him. That’s why I felt he was going to fit in our system. He’s nasty, bro. … I know routes and football players. When I watch him, at first, I was like, OK, he’s good. I’d seen him at Arizona State, and his first year at Florida was OK; this last year, he put it together. It’s everything combined. … I wanted him bad.”
Bill Belichick, on ESPN’s Pat McAfee broadcast, just before Pearsall’s pick: “Here’s the thing, you can’t play wide receiver in San Francisco unless you will block. If you don’t block, you’re not playing receiver there. Whoever (is the 49ers’ pick), they need to be good with the ball in their hands, which Pearsall is, and has to be tough and willing to block, which he will do.”
Robert Griffin III, who played quarterback in the Shanahan system at Washington a decade ago, via Twitter/X: “Ricky Pearsall doesn’t just look like Travis Kelce, his game has the same flavor to it. He knows how to use leverage to get open, knows when he is open and catches everything. Pearsall adds more playmaking versatility to the most offensively volatile team in the NFL.”
Jacob Rudner, who covered Pearsall’s whole college career at Arizona State and Florida, to Bay Area broadcaster Guy Haberman: “On the field, it’s his route running, and just the headiness with which he plays football. He’s extremely calculated. Everything is done with a certain level of sharpness, which really stands out. … This is somebody who is quicker than who is publicly thought of him. He has a lot of speed in the tank. He’s a really good deep-ball route runner, which I don’t think he gets a lot of credit for, in addition to his ability to run the short-yardage routes. This is an impressive overall athlete.”
Matt Harmon on Yahoo: “I love Ricky Pearsall. He’s a dude. He can run routes extremely precise, and a freak athlete, too. People think, ‘Oh, a white receiver.’ People see the white, slot receiver and, ‘He’s another Wes Welker or something like that.’ But, no, this guy is a down-field player.”
Bucky Brooks, of NFL Media and Jacksonville Jaguars radio: “Love the Ricky Pearsall pick. Excellent route runner and playmaker.”
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Here is a transcript of Pearsall’s phone call from the 49ers’ brass inside the John McVay Draft Room, as posted on the team’s social media accounts:
John Lynch: “Hey Ricky, this is John Lynch with the 49ers, man. We’re going to make you a Niner right now, OK?”
Pearsall: “Thank you Coach, appreciate you. You’re getting a workhorse, coach.”
Lynch: “Yeah, alright. That’s what we want. We want a workhorse. I’m going to put you on with Coach Shanahan, OK? Here’s Kyle.”
Kyle Shanahan: “Ricky, congrats, man.”
Pearsall: “Thank you so much, coach. I appreciate you.
Shanahan: “Where are you at right now?”
Pearsall: “I’m back in AZ. Back at home.”
Shanahan: “Awesome. Are you going to be ready to go?”
Pearsall: “Yes sir. More than ready.”
Shanahan: “Who are you with right now?”
Pearsall: “I’m with my whole family, mom and dad’s side, and close friends.”
Shanahan: “They all excited?”
Pearsall: “Yes sir.”
Shanahan: “Well good, man. We love your style. Love how you play. Hope you’re ready to come to work, man. Now it starts.”
Pearsall: “Appreciate you. Thank you so much.”
Shanahan: “OK, here’s our owner Jed (York).”
York: “Ricky, congrats buddy.”
Pearsall: “Thank you so much. I appreciate it.”
York: “So happy to have you here with the Niners. Looking forward to meeting you in person soon.”
Pearsall: “Likewise. You got a good one.”