In the first round of the NFL draft, former Florida Gator wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was selected by the San Francisco 49ers. Despite being the fourth consecutive Gator to be taken in the first round, Pearsall’s selection at pick 31 left many in the media scratching their heads.
Pearsall had transferred from Arizona State Sun Devils to Florida for two seasons and had made a name for himself during the Senior Bowl and combine, causing his draft stock to rise. Most analysts projected him as a mid-to-late second-round pick before the draft. However, San Francisco’s surprise move on the first night of the draft was unexpected.
ESPN’s Seth Walder criticized San Francisco’s decision to use their first-round pick on Pearsall, calling it one of the most disliked moves by any team in this year’s draft. He noted that Pearsall was considered a reach based on pre-draft expectations of his position and that San Francisco’s decision to save money at the wide receiver position played a role in selecting him.
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