The 49ers entered the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with a few notable needs, even after coming within a defensive stop of a championship in February.
With Brandon Aiyuk in need of a new contract and Brock Purdy’s own contract situation set to take center-stage as early as next offseason, San Francisco faced pressure to add young, cheap talent that can contribute to a Super Bowl window. That’s why their first-round pick came as a bit of a surprise.
The 49ers selected Florida WR Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick, adding a pass-catcher many expected to be a second-round pick while passing on talented defenders in Cooper DeJean and Jer’Zhan Newton despite some needs after releasing Arik Armstead and battling issues with their passing defense late in 2023.
Here’s what you need to know about why the 49ers selected Pearsall and where he fits on their depth chart.
SN’s NFL DRAFT HQ
Live picks tracker | 7-round mock draft | Top 250 big board