Opposing defenses already faced a daunting challenge against the San Francisco 49ers. Following the 2024 NFL Draft, that challenge intensified. While the team made no significant upgrades to the offensive line—and we'll see if that will impact production—it added more weapons for third-year quarterback Brock Purdy within an already loaded offense.
With Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings already in their lineup, the 49ers had a strong receiving corps. Barring any unexpected roster changes, all three will return for the upcoming season. However, refusing to rest on their laurels, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan added two more wideouts to the group by drafting Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick and selecting Jacob Cowing in the fourth round.
Pro Football Focus analyzed one major takeaway for all 32 NFL teams following the draft, and it's clear that the 49ers stand out for their receiver talent.
"The 49ers surprised many by selecting Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall selection," wrote Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman. "Pearsall's presence adds intrigue to the trade rumors surrounding San Francisco, especially since he was also teammates with Brandon Aiyuk during their time at Arizona State. In any case, Pearsall is an ultra-reliable player who Kyle Shanahan will love to scheme open."
Pearsall led Florida with 965 receiving yards, averaging 14.8 yards per catch, and scored six touchdowns (four receiving, two rushing).
"He's a guy who, throughout the process, we liked early, and it kept getting stronger, and he does a lot of things well," general manager John Lynch said of Pearsall. "He does a lot of the things we covet at that position well. We believe we have a real strong group there and we wanted to add another player.
"And Ricky is a very versatile player. Also has some punt return value that we think will come in handy. So, it just felt like it was the right guy at the right time, and really excited about it."
Cowing surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in two of the last three seasons and scored 13 touchdowns during his senior 2023 campaign.
Commenting on Cowing's selection, Wasserman added, "Even after adding Pearsall, the 49ers selected another excellent slot receiver in Jacob Cowing, who leads the FBS with 3,263 receiving yards since 2021. He was one of the most productive receivers in this class despite a Tank Dell-esque frame. The 49ers are loaded at wide receiver. It remains to be seen who will be playing in San Francisco in 2024."