With Deebo Samuel now on the Washington Commanders, the San Francisco 49ers will look for Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall to step up this upcoming season.
Pearsall is entering his second year in the league after being taken with the 31st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The former University of Florida star wide receiver had the start of his rookie season pushed back due to being shot on Aug. 31, 2024, in an attempted robbery.
However, thankfully, he fully recovered and made his NFL debut in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pearsall had 31 receptions (46 targets) for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games as a rookie.
Heading into Year 2, the young wide receiver likely wants to improve on those numbers and will try to do so wearing a different number.
According to NFL Jersey Numbers, Pearsall will wear No. 1 in 2025, the same number Samuel wore last season.
San Francisco 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall (@S1ickSzn) is wearing number 1. Last assigned to Deebo Samuel. #FTTB pic.twitter.com/pkFmCoO3JF
— NFL Jersey Numbers (@nfl_jersey_num) March 22, 2025
49ers fans hope Pearsall will have better luck with the No. 1 jersey than Samuel, who had a less-than-stellar 2024 season (806 yards from scrimmage and four total touchdowns). Pearsall wore No. 1 in his last two years of college football at the University of Florida.
Pearsall had 98 receptions for 1,626 yards and nine touchdowns with the Gators. He also had three rushing touchdowns. In his final year at Florida in 2023, the 6-foot-3 receiver recorded 65 receptions for 965 yards and four touchdowns.
The 49er faithful would love to see a 900-plus receiving yard season from Pearsall in 2025. If that happens it means San Francisco’s passing game is on track and the former first-round pick is making explosive plays.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will lean on Pearsall and Jauan Jennings to start the season as Aiyuk rehabs from a tough knee injury. A good start from Pearsall would help lessen Samuel’s loss in the passing game.