49ers first-round pick Pearsall details Aiyuk relationship originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The newest member of the 49ers receiving corps arrives in Santa Clara with plenty of football experience and even has a prior relationship with new Brandon Aiyuk.
Ricky Pearsall, who San Francisco selected with the No. 31 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft spoke to Kay Adams on the “Up & Adams Show” on Wednesday and discussed his relationship with his former Arizona State teammate.
Adams asked if he knew Aiyuk well at Arizona State and if they had been in contact during the leadup to the draft, with Pearsall explaining that they had met up in person earlier this year.
“Yes, I do know Brandon,” Pearsall said. “He was actually here in Arizona again recently, so I hit him up to get a few workouts in. They’re just kind of amping up their stuff since they just got done with their offseason stuff.”
Adams: “Did he give you any advice, what did you talk about?”
Pearsall: “All kinds of things, obviously just introducing me to the business side of football, what to expect, how to handle yourself like a pro. So just staying in contact with a guy like him who is doing it at a high level I think is going to be very beneficial for me.”
Prior to transferring to Florida, Pearsall began his college career in 2019 with the Sun Devils, though he did not blossom into an NFL-caliber receiver until later in his collegiate career. Through three seasons with Arizona State, Pearsall only had 61 total receptions for 794 yards with two touchdowns.
In his two seasons with Florida, the 23-year-old came into his own, recording 98 total receptions for 1,547 yards and three touchdowns.
The selection of Pearsall adds another vertical threat to the 49ers’ vaunted offense, though the contract situation with Aiyuk remains in flux. While there were pre-draft rumors that Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel could be traded for a top pick, nothing materialized, possibly suggesting that San Francisco plans on keeping both players.
Still, given the lack of depth behind Aiyuk and Samuel, the Pearsall pick could give San Francisco another reliable pass-catcher and another offensive weapon for quarterback Brock Purdy, particularly against teams that employ more man coverage, something the Kansas City Chiefs did to slow down the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
For now, pairing the two former Arizona State teammates gives San Francisco plenty of offensive potential as the team looks to make another deep postseason run.
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