Tag: Ricky Pearsall

Two Gators among CBS Sports’ latest mock NFL draft selections

Ricky Pearsall and Kingsley Eguakun are the two lone former Gators on CBS Sports’ NFL draft big board.

The 2024 NFL draft is just around the corner as professional franchises and formerly amateur players alike prepare for the annual selection process. The sports media is also abuzz with prognostications for the marquee event set to take place at the end of April.

The University of Florida’s football program has a long and storied history of placing its former players in the National Football League and that tradition will continue this spring — albeit in a bit of a truncated form from former years. The Gators are expected to have just two of its alumni taken in the seven-round draft but both have the potential to be impact players at the next level.

CBS Sports recently published its latest mock draft that includes all 257 picks, with wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] being plucked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round at No. 51 overall. Interior offensive lineman [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] is expected to follow him in the fifth round at No. 166 to the New York Giants in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.

The 2024 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit, Michigan, at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. It continues on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, concludes on Saturday starting at noon ET and will be broadcast on the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Former Gators WR among ‘sleepers’ identified by ESPN, coaches

Pearsall’s stock continues to soar in the NFL draft predictions.

The NFL draft is a week away and football fans around the country are preparing to watch their favorite players and teams decide on the future of the sport.

For fans of the Florida Gators, the pickings are pretty slim this year with just a pair of players expected to be selected in the seven-round event. However, one of those prospects has seen his stock rise meteorically since the start of the pre-draft process.

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who spent a couple of seasons with the Orange and Blue after transferring from the Arizona State Sun Devils, is now projected by most to be taken in the second round of the draft. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg recently spoke with college coaches who played against his list of draft “sleepers” which the former Gator was a part of.

“Despite Florida’s 5-7 record in 2023, there were some bright spots in Gainesville, including Pearsall,” Rittenberg notes. “He had five or more receptions in eight of the team’s first 10 games, recording two 100-yard performances and two others of 99 yards against SEC opponents. More than 63% of his receptions went for first downs, and he also averaged 11.5 yards on punt returns.”

The anonymous coach’s take was rather encouraging.

“You could always feel him and his route running and his ball skills,” said a defensive coordinator who faced Pearsall. “I don’t know what his testing numbers were, but if he has the toughness to play through contact, his route running and hand combination and quickness in and out of routes was legitimate NFL-caliber.”

The 2024 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit, Michigan, at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. It continues on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, concludes on Saturday starting at noon ET and will be broadcast on the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar: Doug’s favorite underrated draft prospects

In this week’s Xs and Os, Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar discuss Ricky Pearsall, Malik Washington, Renardo Green, Max Melton, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, and Javon Bullard.

In this week’s episode of “The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into six of Doug’s favorite underrated prospects in the 2024 NFL draft — players who most likely won’t hear their names called in the first round next Thursday night, but who all can provide serious value to their soon-to-be NFL teams. Two weeks ago, we focused on “Greg’s Guys” in that same regard. Now, here are Doug’s favorites.

Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall — Will Pearsall be able to maintain his gliding speed, route awareness and amazing catches into contact at the NFL level? We’re betting on “yes.”

Virginia receiver Malik Washington — Washington is a shorter (but not thin) player who can create explosive plays all over the field; a team like the Chiefs (for example) should be watching as much of his tape as possible right now.

Florida State cornerback Renardo Green — Green projects well as an outside cornerback despite a lack of desired size, but how will his NFL team deploy him?

Rutgers cornerback Max Melton — In Melton’s case, his NFL team will love his ability to match receivers all over the field, and they’ll likely see the necessary technique fixes as a worthy time investment.

Texas Tech safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson — More than any other safety in this class, Taylor-Demerson has field-scalding speed when in coverage. If he can tamp down the more rogue elements of his athleticism, he could be an easy Pro Bowler.

Georgia safety Javon Bullard — Over the last two seasons, Georgia asked Bullard to completely change his positional profile in ways most college defenders are not asked to do, and he did it all very well. That should make him an easy prospect for most NFL teams.

You can watch this week’s “X and Os” right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts. 

Browns 2024 Draft Profile: Ricky Pearsall can stretch the field vertically from the slot

Pearsall is an intriguing slot option

With as deep and talented as this year’s wide receiver, it wouldn’t be a good idea to leave the draft without taking one. The Browns have shown that age matters to them, especially early in the draft, but one player that may be worth overlooking is Florida’s Ricky Pearsall.

Pearsall is a slot player who can win on the outside but projects best inside in the NFL. He’s a great athlete and an above-average route runner who uses his short area burst and quick feet to create separation. He has plenty of long speed to challenge teams vertically and push the ball downfield for explosive plays.

The ball-tracking skills on the deep ball are as good as you’ll find in this year’s class. Pearsall has a knack for making highlight reel grabs, and though he struggles against press man as an undersized guy, his ability to get vertical shines game after game.

His reliable and strong hands will help his game translate to the next level from the slot to help someone’s offense get more dynamic.

2024 NFL Draft: Florida WR Ricky Pearsall scouting report

Florida WR Ricky Pearsall is a speed slot receiver with all kinds of game-breaking ability in the right NFL offense. He made the NCAA’s Catch of the Year in 2023.

A three-star prospect from Corona Del Sol High School in Chandler, Arizona, Ricky Pearsall committed to Arizona State over offers from Air Force,
Hawaii, and New Mexico State due to then-head coach Herm Edwards’ interest in him. Pearsall caught 61 passes for 794 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Sun Devils before transferring to Florida after things went south for Edwards and the program. 2023 was Pearsall’s best season overall in five of them — he caught 65 balls on 87 targets for 963 yards and four touchdowns, with 11 catches on 20 targets of 20 or more air yards for 342 yards and all four of his touchdowns.

Pearsall isn’t a do-it-all receiver, but the things he does, he does very well, and he should be a plus vertical threat from the slot in the NFL.

PLUSES

— Tested off the charts in most combine drills that presage speed and explosiveness, and that shows up on tape. Pearsall works off the snap with smooth, gliding speed to get to his route bend.

— Very good understanding of the route tree, and how to use the nuances of routes to upend coverage.

— If your NFL team employs a lot of motion, you’ll love Pearsall as a guy who can get up to full speed when moving pre-snap and get into his concepts quickly.

— 6′ 1″, 189-pound frame, and he can win outside. Not an X-iso guy, but he’ll band it inside from tight splits and he can run the Cover- 3 beater up the seam all day long.

— Has some juice as a contested-catch receiver, both by using speed to separate at the ball point, and with some truly insane timed jumps.

— Clearly not afraid of contact in the open field; his preposterous catch against Charlotte (shown below) proves that. He had another catch against LSU into two defenders that was just about as ridiculous.

MINUSES

— The blocking tape is… well, really bad. Far too much “bad matador” reps. Seems more of a technique issue than a lack of willingness to get physical.

— Pearsall can gain yards after the catch and force missed tackles, but it’s far more through elusiveness than any kind of physical dominance.

— Needs free space to operate. He’ll require his NFL coaches to scheme him into that.

— Red zone efficiency will be affected until he’s more consistent in getting push against tacklers. You don’t expect him to be Deebo Samuel or anything, but he gets tackled a bit more easily than you might prefer.

The NFL is about matchups as much as it is about schemes, and Pearsall projects well as a move and motion target with great route awareness, quickness everywhere on the field, and fearless acrobatic catches. If Pearsall can bring a slightly more physical profile to his after-contact opportunities and learn to block to any degree, his coaches are not going to want to take him off the field.

Okay, now WATCH THIS FREAKING CATCH.

CBS Sports has Florida’s Pearsall heading here via trade in NFL draft

Former Florida Gator Ricky Pearsall is a second-round selection according to CBS Sports.

NFL draft season is in the air as the spring’s biggest football event sits just two weeks away. Former college standouts have been working hard over the past few months to make their case in the annual amateur selection process, with many exceeding their prior expectations.

One such player is former Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who arrived two seasons ago via the transfer portal from the Arizona State Sun Devils. While his pair of campaigns with the Orange and Blue were both statistically solid and demonstrative of his intrinsic talents, his potential may have been overshadowed by an underperforming UF program.

Alas, since playing in the Senior Bowl and participating in the combine, Pearsall’s draft stock has risen significantly, to the point that he is now considered a consensus second-round pick.

CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso published his seven-round NFL mock draft on Thursday, which placed the former Gator with the Indianapolis Colts in the second round at No. 55 overall via a trade with the Miami Dolphins. That would make Pearall the 11th wide receiver taken in the draft.

The 2024 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit, Michigan, at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. It continues on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, concludes on Saturday starting at noon ET and will be broadcast on the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

USA TODAY Sports ranks Ricky Pearsall among top 50 draftees

Pearsall’s stock has been rising meteorically of late as the NFL draft approaches.

The NFL draft is coming up and football fans are getting fired up for the apex of the sport’s spring season. Unfortunately for Florida Gators fans, there is not too much to be excited about but at least there is one former standout whose stock has been rising meteorically in recent weeks.

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, a two-year Gainesville resident after transferring from the Arizona State Sun Devils two offseasons ago, had an impressive pair of campaigns with the Orange and Blue despite a lackluster quarterback room. Between his consistently superlative efforts and highlight-reel plays, the 6-foot-1-inch, 189-pound pass-catcher had put together a solid collegiate resume heading into the pros.

USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz recently undertook the task of ranking the top 50 prospects in the 2024 NFL draft, with Pearsall landing at No. 47. He explains why the talented receiver made the cut.

“With his crisp routes, reliable hands and impressive body control, Pearsall should quickly endear himself to his future quarterback as a highly efficient slot weapon,” Middlehurst-Schwartz notes.

“Though he posted some explosive marks at the combine (4.41-second 40-yard dash, 42-inch vertical leap), he likely will be relegated to a short-to-intermediate target unless he proves he can consistently beat press coverage and create separation downfield.”

The 2024 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit, Michigan, at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. It continues on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, concludes on Saturday starting at noon ET and will be broadcast on the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Panthers trade down, select interesting WR prospect in newest ESPN mock draft

ESPN’s Field Yates gives the Panthers a relatively new name in his latest 2024 mock draft.

Maybe the Carolina Panthers aren’t done positioning themselves on this spring’s board.

ESPN insider Field Yates just mocked up a fresh set of two-round projections for the 2024 NFL draft. He begins the second round by shipping off Carolina’s first pick (33rd overall) to the Tennessee Titans, who use the deal to select Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

In exchange, the Panthers received a pair of fourth-rounders and the 38th overall selection—which they invest in Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall. Yates writes:

The interior offensive line and pass rush have been fortified through free agency, but the Panthers are still looking to beef up the receiver room for second-year quarterback Bryce Young. Pearsall — who had 965 yards last season — is an explosive, powerful pass-catcher with a wide catch radius.

Pearsall is not a name we’ve been used to seeing around these parts. Nonetheless, the 6-foot-1, 189-pound receiver could be the reliable and oft-open target head coach Dave Canales is looking to add.

What’s also interesting is that Yates opted for Pearsall over quite a few familiar prospects. Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, Florida State’s Keon Coleman and Oregon’s Troy Franklin were all left on the board when Pearsall was taken.

Yates then scoops up Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa for Carolina with the very next pick. With Donte Jackson now gone in the team’s trade for former Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson, the defense is still without a clear starter across from Jaycee Horn in the secondary.

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Rams met with Florida WR Ricky Pearsall after pro day

After Florida’s pro day, the Rams met with dynamic receiver Ricky Pearsall, who could be a Day 2 target

Whether it’s in the draft or free agency, the Los Angeles Rams seem destined to add help at wide receiver this offseason – and that’s after already re-signing Demarcus Robinson. Rome Odunze is a prospect they expressed interest in after meeting with him at the combine, and Ricky Pearsall can also be added to the list of wideouts the Rams might consider drafting.

Florida held its pro day on Thursday and Pearsall said he met with the Rams afterwards. Pearsall is widely viewed as a Day 2 prospect this year, though some view him as a potential first-rounder, too.

Pearsall began his college career at Arizona State before transferring to Florida in 2022. With the Gators he had 661 yards in 2022 and a career-high 965 last season, scoring 12 total touchdowns in those two years with Florida.

Pearsall has some experience returning punts, taking back 11 of them for 126 yards last season alone, but he’s more of a receiver capable of making plays out of the slot or out wide.

Trent Baalke cancels his UF Pro Day trip after Ricky Pearsall opts out

The Jaguars’ general manager reportedly planned to visit the UF Pro Day to take a closer look at Ricky Pearsall.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke planned to attend the Florida Gators’ Pro Day on Thursday, according to Mark Long of the Associated Press, but cancelled his trip after wide receiver Ricky Pearsall opted out of the workout.

Wide receiver jumps out a logical top priority for the Jaguars after the team attempted, but failed to bring back Calvin Ridley after signing Gabe Davis in free agency. It’s no surprise that Jacksonville is interested in finding more top talent at the position and Pearsall could fit the bill.

Pearsall, a former Arizona State receiver, finished with 1,547 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns in two seasons at Florida. At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Pearsall measured in at 6’1, 189 pounds and ran a 4.41 40-yard dash with a 42-inch vertical jump.

In a draft class loaded with receiver talent, Pearsall is largely expected to be a Day 2 selection in April.

Baalke’s planned attendance that was reportedly contingent on Pearsall’s participation suggests the Jaguars are keeping a close eye on the Gators receiver.

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