The selection of former Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall came as a surprise to most. There were plenty of surprises in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with several teams deviating from projections in mock drafts.
Undeterred, a couple of analysts have put together their projections for Day 2 of the draft following the aftermath of the first round.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic believes the 49ers will use the second-round pick, No. 63 overall, to bolster their defense. He projects former Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter to join San Francisco with the selection.
"Although his stat sheet and tape don't scream 'ballhawk,' he plays with the football instincts that teams covet at the position," Brugler wrote of Lassiter in his draft profile. "The last time he gave up more than two catches in a game was in the 2022 College Football Playoffs against Ohio State. Overall, Lassiter doesn't have elite physical traits at a position where size and speed are at a premium, but his play recognition and competitiveness are both off the charts. Although he is viewed as a nickel-only by several teams, he has starting talent that is best suited for a zone-match scheme."
That's not the 49ers' only Day 2 pick, though. The team also owns the No. 94 overall selection in the third round. Brugler projects former Utah edge defender Jonah Elliss to be selected by San Francisco at that spot.
"A long, high-effort pass rusher, Elliss displays quick and instinctive initial movements as a two-way rusher who can fit, rework and leverage his physical hands," Brugler wrote. "However, he tends to rely more on effort than refined counters and doesn't consistently play big against the run. Overall, Elliss is an inconsistent edge setter in the run game, but he is threatening with his upfield burst/motor and skilled with his hands in the pass rush. It is encouraging to think of what he can develop into with a full bag of counters. His pro ceiling is an Alex Highsmith-style edge defender, although a high-end subpackage rusher is his more realistic NFL projection."
Meanwhile, Lance Zierlein of NFL Media has the 49ers going in a different direction, addressing the offensive line with the No. 63 overall pick. The analyst has San Francisco selecting former Washington offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten in the second round.
"Rosengarten has been a steady riser during the draft process thanks to his toughness and ability to fit into zone-scheme rush attacks," Zierlein wrote.
Zierlein has the 49ers selecting former Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace with the No. 94 overall pick in the third round.
As for the selection of Pearsall, Pro Football Focus handed out an "average" grade for the 49ers' addition.
"The 49ers take Pearsall, a slot receiver from Florida who excelled during the pre-draft process," wrote the analytics site. "Pearsall was productive and reliable, and his measurables are up to NFL standards. He only dropped five passes since the beginning of 2020, which is tied for the fewest among Power Five receivers with at least 200 targets in that span. This pick could also add intrigue to trade rumors swirling around Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel."
