What the 49ers see in Ricky Pearsall and why they made him their first-round pick

Pearsall also spoke about his strengths as a player and why he’ll earn Kyle Shanahan’s trust.

Nobody will care about the consensus big boards or whether the San Francisco 49ers reached for a wide receiver if he’s productive. That’s how the NFL works. Your draft slot is irrelevant if you produce. Every year, at every position, players outperform other prospects who were taken picks and even rounds higher than they were selected.

Fit. That’s what matters. There are transcendent talents who will excel in any situation. But for 90 percent of collegiate players who enter the NFL, how you fit into a scheme or a team’s culture has just as much, if not more, to do with your potential success.

Aesthetically, Ricky Pearsall has an uphill battle to climb after being assigned No. 14. In an interview with 95.7 The Game, the 49ers first-round pick was aware of his new number: “That’s what they assigned me for camp, so I’m going to rock out with it. They say that number got no aura, but I’m gonna put some aura in it.”

Let’s hope so, kid.

Later on in the interview, Pearsall was asked about the traits that make his game underrated. Kyle Shanahan needed a wideout to fill multiple roles. Brandon Aiyuk is locked in as the team’s “X” receiver, but a “Z” who can win 1-on-1 against man coverage and an “F” who could both block and win at multiple levels was necessary as well.

Pearsall pointed out his versatility as one of the reasons that’ll help him see the field early: “I think my versatility is going to help me. I think being able to play different positions and move me around is going to help me, give me different opportunities. And obviously, coach Shanahan likes to put a lot of guys in motion across the field, create matchups, create different looks. So, I feel like I’ll be a guy that can do that.”

You can point to any game and see the variety of Pearsall used. Let’s take LSU, for example. Pearsall lined up on the outside, in the slot, and was used as a decoy often in motion — the Gators gave him plenty of shovel passes and end arounds throughout the season — but the role that stood out the most was whenever Florida ran a screen or a jet sweep, they used their leading wideout as the primary blocker.

The final screenshot above shows Pearsall’s lined up as an in-line tight end. The Gators ran his way and scored a touchdown. I’d imagine Shanahan and the 49ers coaching staff gravitate to this type of usage just as much as his box score in this game — Pearsall had seven catches for over 100 yards receiving.

Here’s Pearsall on his top trait: “Just my route running understanding. I think I really understand where to be at. I’m very consistent, disciplined in the spots that I’m at. The quarterback will never be guessing where I’m at. I’m gonna be a consistent spot.”

One thing that stood out when watching Pearsall was his pre-snap communication. If a defense would show a blitz or shift, you could see Pearsall signal to the receiver next to him or, in some cases, have to turn around and tell them what to do.

Pearsall continued: “Just my fluidity in the route running. Nothing throws me off. Obviously, especially in defenses now, there’s a lot of disguise coverages and moving pieces. So being able to run your routes with your eyes up and see moving pieces and understand on the go why everything’s happening so fast. I think I do a good job of that. And then, just how detailed I am in my route running and the quality of it and how serious I take this on and off the field. So I think that’s what separates me.”

5 routes

When somebody says “fluid,” they mean being able to run full speed while changing directions without having to throttle down. Below, he’s in the slot at the bottom of the screen. Pearsall gives the illusion that he’s running in one direction by flashing his helmet to the right. Plus, there’s a violent cut with his right leg, which helps sell his route.

Some college receivers struggle to give it their all when they’re not the primary option on the play. Just because you’re not getting the ball doesn’t mean you’re without value in the play. Pearsall has the speed to run off coverage and open things up for the four other quality eligibles the 49ers will have on the field underneath.

In the play below to the bottom, Pearsall’s understanding of defenses comes into play. If he releases outside, the safety lets him go and likely drives on one of the crossing routes. In “cone” coverage, the safety to the single receiver side will stay with the wideout as long as he’s running vertical and a threat over the middle of the field (think a post route or an in-breaking route at the intermediate level).

If Pearsall jogs that route, the safety knows he’s not a threat and would find work elsewhere. The devil is in the details, and you get a prime example of Pearsall’s effort and awareness in this play.

When the defense respects your speed, the entire route tree opens up. When you can’t stretch the field, it’s like an offense having a non-three-point shooter on the court in basketball. Here’s Pearsall in the slot to the bottom of the screen, creating a couple of yards of separation on third down.

Shanahan won’t be happy that his route was short of the sticks on third down. A better pass might change the outcome, but Pearsall getting the defensive back to open up and run and then stopping on a dime is the takeaway here.

We’ve seen Pearsall win on a static route down the field and underneath. Here, he is winning with his feet. Lined up in the slot at the top of the screen, Pearsall begins to stem his route inside. Once the defender goes to put a hand on him, Pearsall is already two steps ahead, headed in the other direction.

Pearsall’s acceleration shows on this route. He can hit another gear the defensive back does not have, which is how you get a player stumbling when trying to catch up.

It’s unlikely that the 49ers will rely on Pearsall to win 1-on-1 on money downs as a rookie. That’s why you pay Brandon Aiyuk. That’s why you paid Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey. Pearsall has enough juice after the catch to turn four and five-yard gains into eight or nine. But Shanahan’s offense is predicated on running away from people.

Pearsall’s work on over routes stands out. At the bottom of the screen, watch Pearsall accelerate from the safety and the cornerback:

Why he wasn’t targeted is beyond me, but that was oddly consistent for being the No. 1 threat in an offense.

Running the same route against Georgia, Pearsall is in the slot to the top of the screen, and you can see him climbing on his route down the field instead of trying to run through the defender. Pearsall will likely get knocked off his landmark and the play if he does that. We get another example of his athleticism as he adjusts to the ball behind him.

It’s not difficult to see why the 49ers view Pearsall as a long-term option who can also contribute immediately. The routes he ran in college are the same ones he’ll run in Shanahan’s offense. He’s a competitive blocker with the athleticism to adjust to poorly thrown football and a top-notch ability to track passes. His hands and speed are the icing on the cake.