The 2024 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and the Kansas City Chiefs are hoping for another strong haul from general manager Brett Veach. In previous seasons, Veach and his staff have used the draft to bring in cost-effective young players to shore up a championship roster. The outcomes speak for themselves, yet windows can close quickly. Kansas City hopes that a good 2024 rookie class joining one of football’s youngest squads will maintain the franchise in top competitive form.
With the draft on the horizon, Arrowhead Report is taking a look at prospects who could hear their names called in late April. Up next is Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.
BACKGROUND Height: 6010 Weight: 189 Age: 23 Relative Athletic Score: 9.90 2023: 65 receptions, 965 yards and 4 touchdowns Played three seasons at Arizona State, two at Florida
WHERE PEARSALL CREATES ADVANTAGES
One of Pearsall’s biggest strengths may be his hands. He’s a mostly reliable target who does a good job tracking the ball and adjusting to off-target throws. His body control is terrific. That, combined with his ability to maintain possession through contact and elevate for circus catches is a massive plus. He’s a tough prospect. Pearsall showed out at the NFL Scouting Combine, backing up his explosive above-the-rim athleticism with a 42″ vertical jump and 10’9″ broad jump.
Pearsall is a seasoned wideout who excels at double movements and can shake defenders with them. He’s a strong target against zone coverage (almost 60% of his target share in 2023 was against it) and a willing blocker. From a route-running standpoint, this is a rather standard operator. He returns to the football, understands how to leverage defenders, and should soon win over his first quarterback. Pearsall provides some alignment versatility, as he has the length to play on the outside but can also work out of the slot or backfield if necessary.
WHERE PEARSALL COULD BE AT A DISADVANTAGE While Pearsall tested off the charts at the Combine, that athleticism didn’t always show up on his film. His long speed, short-area burst and yards-after-catch profile all disagree slightly with the elite splits he put up in Indianapolis. While the film suggests a closer-to-decent athlete and the numbers suggest a fantastic one, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle. At just 189 pounds, Pearsall’s competitive toughness doesn’t directly translate to play strength all the time. Although his hands are a plus, he does succumb to the occasional concentration drop. Despite the savviness of his head fakes and footwork, beating press coverage remains a question. Pearsall is more than capable of stacking a defensive back and snapping off a route, but his reliance on being technically exquisite to win some of his reps may not lead to as much NFL success. Creating consistent separation against man is what will make or break his ceiling; his zone chops are very clearly there already. Pearsall is an older prospect, set to turn 24 at the beginning of his rookie campaign. That extensive experience works against him more than it helps him. THE VERDICT The 2024 NFL Draft is a relatively stacked class at the wide receiver spot. The first round features around 10 names who are worthy of first-round consideration. That won’t end up being the case in reality, but the options teams will have at their disposal make it a perfect year to need a new weapon on offense. Pearsall doesn’t find himself in the top couple of tiers of receivers. With that said, his strengths should parlay themselves into professional success early on. He’s someone who’d ideally be trusted to produce in a complementary role as a rookie and be put in good positions to succeed. There seems to be a solid baseline for what he can do in the NFL. Things like beating press or proving to be able to handle aligning on the line of scrimmage will determine what happens beyond that.
