How 49ers believe Pearsall can take next step in second NFL season

SANTA CLARA — It took a while, but wide receiver Ricky Pearsall showed late in the season what the 49ers envisioned when they selected him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.Pearsall endured a rookie season that included shoulder injuries in the offseason program and training camp, a hamstring injury at the beginning of training camp and a shooting that resulted in an overnight stay in a San Francisco hospital.He appeared in 11 games, including a five-game stretch in which he caught just two passes for 21 yards.Pearsall broke out with an impressive showing in Week 17 when he caught eight passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in a 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions."It's always encouraging to see younger guys show a little of the reason we drafted him," 49ers receivers coach Leonard Hankerson said on Tuesday.Hankerson said there typically is a lot going through the minds of young players. They are thinking so much about where to line up and how to carry out an assignment."It affects how their game looks early on because they're doing so much thinking," Hankerson said. "They're not going out and playing the position like they know how to play."Pearsall finished the season with...