49ers draft WR Pearsall at No. 31 in first round
Offensive players flew off NFL draft boards Thursday night, including one onto the 49ers’ roster, which still includes Brandon Aiyuk.
Once their turn arrived at No. 31, the 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall, a wide receiver who finished his college career at Florida after starting it at Arizona State, which, ironically, is
Aiyuk’s alma mater.
Thus, the draft’s ending resembled its start: only offensive players were taken in the first 14 picks.
The 49ers’ offensive choice came without the same pressing concerns that’s engulfing their NFL challengers.
After all, the Niners secured their franchise quarterback two years ago in Brock Purdy, albeit with the 262nd and final pick. Plus, the 49ers have every other offensive starter under contract from last season, when they spawned the second-most yards and third-most points en route to the Super Bowl, where they got outscored 25-22 in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rather than trade Aiyuk, the 49ers’ brass is, thus far, staying true to their word and keeping their leading wide receiver, presumably with a yet-tobe-consummated contract extension. He’s entering the final season under his rookie deal, a $14.1 million team option that is roughly half the market rate for a top-tier receiver.
Pearsall joins a wide receiver corps that also includes Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, and the recently re-signed Trent Taylor.
Now Pearsall (6-foot-1, 189 pounds) joins a franchise that is coming off a Super Bowl overtime loss, but one still poised to return to that championship stage Feb. 9, when Super Bowl LIX is played in New Orleans. Over the past five seasons, the 49ers have reached the Super Bowl twice and the NFC Championship Game four times.