On Thursday night, Ricky Pearsall became a 49er.
San Francisco selected Florida wide receiver No. 31 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, adding depth to quarterback Brock Purdy’s group of targets.
Here is how Pearsall reacted after getting the call from 49ers general manager John Lynch that San Fransisco selected him.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The wide receiver couldn't contain his enthusiasm upon announcing the news to friends and family, immediately erupting into a heartwarming celebration.
Lynch, coach Kyle Shanahan and owner Jed York all welcomed Pearsall to the organization from the 49ers' headquarters in Santa Clara.
While addressing the local media for the first time, Pearsall shared San Francisco showed minimal interes in him leading up to the big call on Thursday night.
San Francisco 49ers
“It’s never a surprise for me, I’d say,” Pearsall told reporters. “But I was definitely shocked to see San Francisco pop up on my phone, and I picked it up, and, obviously, I was meeting everybody and hearing what everyone had to say.
“I was just super excited and blessed to have this opportunity to do this.”
Pearsall arrives in the Bay Area after spending the past two college seasons in Florida, where he led the Gators in receiving yards during both campaigns.
Prior to that, the 23-year-old wide receiver (6-foot-1, 189 pounds) spent three seasons at Arizona State, sharing the locker room with Brandon Aiyuk at Arizona State throughout the 2019 college season.
For now, Pearsall and Aiyuk are set for a reunion in Santa Clara, and the Chandler, Arizona native is enthusiastic about coming to the Bay Area.
Pearsall joins a 49ers wide receiver depth chart headlined by Deebo Samuel and Aiyuk, who have both recently been in the eye of trade speculation.
And although Pearsall is now a part of the Red and Gold, the future of San Francisco’s receiving core is far beyond his scope.
Pearsall’s job Thursday night was to enjoy the moment, and it appears he did just that.