While many were surprised to hear wide receiver Ricky Pearsall's name called during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, NFL.com's deputy editor, Gennaro Filice, wasn't among them.
Filice handed out his draft grades for the NFC West, and while the San Francisco 49ers earned the lowest marks of the group, it was still a respectable "B-" mark.
"The first-round selection of Ricky Pearsall took many by surprise, but not this keyboard jockey!" Filice wrote. "I had the Florida wideout coming off the board in Round 1 in my final mock."
Filice notes that he had Pearsall headed to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 32 overall in his final projections. Still, he's taking it as a win.
"The sure-handed Pearsall made the catch of the year in college football and then crushed the pre-draft process with a route-running clinic at the Senior Bowl and explosive testing at the combine," Filice continued. "Kyle Shanahan's going to get a lot out of this smooth mover the kids call 'Slick Rick.'"
Pearsall's selection fueled speculation regarding the future of wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Aiyuk seeks a contract extension, placing him among the highest-paid wideouts in the NFL, while Samuel ranks as the eighth-highest-paid receiver.
"Aiyuk, for his part, immediately shared his approval of the selection with Shanahan and GM John Lynch, apparently texting the brain trust on Thursday night, 'Fire pick. Can't lie,'" Filice shared. "One night later, Lynch said the 49ers didn't entertain any trades for Aiyuk or Samuel during Day 2 of the draft: 'We're happy with our wide receiver group. Actually, more than happy. We're really thrilled with it.'
"Pearsall can indeed co-exist with the two veteran stars in 2024, given his inside/outside ability and bountiful route tree. And in San Francisco's overtime loss to Kansas City in the Super Bowl, the Niners sure looked like a team that could use another separator out wide."
Filice highlights that San Francisco's Day 2 picks garnered mixed reactions, with multiple analysts deeming the selection of cornerback Renardo Green a reach. However, Green's standout Week 1 performance last season against Malik Nabers, who later became the No. 6 overall pick, left a positive impression.
"In Round 3, the 49ers wisely tossed more resources at the offensive line," Filice added. "Taken at No. 86 overall, versatile blocker Dominick Puni was the No. 66 overall prospect on DJ's Big Board. Value pick!
"The mid-round selection of a running back didn't come as a shock to Filice, who noted, "It's become canon. Admittedly, Isaac Guerendo is intriguing, as he should have plenty of tread left on the tires (just 231 college carries) -- and those tires go FAST (4.33-second 40-yard dash at a robust 221 pounds)."
The Arizona Cardinals earned the highest grade among the NFC West teams, an "A-" mark. The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks each earned "B+" grades for their draft hauls.
