College Football

Ricky Pearsall Drafted by San Francisco 49ers in First Round of NFL Draft

Ricky Pearsall Drafted by San Francisco 49ers in First Round of NFL Draft


DETROIT, Mich. – Florida football wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round with the 31st overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
 

The selection continues the Gators streak being one of three schools and only SEC school to have a player drafted in the common era draft, which began in 1967.

 

Overall, Pearsall is the 45th UF wide receiver to be taken, ranking third most in the NCAA and leading the Southeastern Conference. Since 2000, Florida has had 21 receivers drafted and six since 2020. He is the eighth Gator receiver to be drafted in the first round and last since Kadarius Toney (2021, New York Giants, 20th overall).

 

 
A native of Chandler, Ariz. Pearsall joined the Orange and Blue ahead of the 2022 season after three seasons (2019-21) at Arizona State. He played in 55 career games with 33 starts and never missed a game. Pearsall ended his career with 159 catches for 2,420 receiving yards, 14 touchdown catches with marks of 15.2 yards per catch, 2.9 receptions per game and 44.0 yards per game. He was also productive in the rushing game with 21 carries for 253 yards and five touchdowns.
 
He returned to the Gators for his final collegiate season and made one of the most memorable catches in college football with a one-handed snag in The Swamp. He also helped lead a fourth-quarter comeback on the road for a 41-39 victory at South Carolina. Pearsall caught the game-winning touchdown, a 21-yard pass, but set up the opportunity with a crucial 4th down catch backed up on their own 25-yard line. He ended with career-highs in catches (10) and receiving yards (166) in Columbia.
 
Also last year, he led the team in receptions (65), receiving yards (965) and receiving yards per game (80.4). Forty-one (63.1%) of his catches were for first-downs and 35 (53.8%) going for double-digits. Out of his 159 career receptions, 102 (69.3%) moved the chains with 90 (59.5%) marking 10-plus…

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