49ers fans may have to be patient with Ricky Pearsall's rookie season

Ricky Pearsall joins the 49ers with plenty of hype, but the first-round NFL Draft pick might not make a major impact until 2025.

San Francisco 49ers fans experienced a minor scare with the team's first-round selection in this year's NFL Draft, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, when he landed on the active/non-football injury list at the start of training camp because of a hamstring injury.

The setback cut into his camp for a mere week, though, and the Niners removed him from the injury list on the first day of pads, getting the rookie involved on punt and kick returns during practice.

While it's good for Pearsall to showcase some versatility in this department, San Francisco didn't use the No. 31 overall pick to solely land a return specialist.

Pearsall, who once played alongside the 49ers' leading wide receiver at Arizona State, Brandon Aiyuk, boasts a solid college pedigree that suggests he can emerge as a WR1 threat. particularly after his 2022 transfer to Florida.

But Aiyuk is just one of a handful of incumbent pass catchers who could delay Pearsall's ascent into a prominent role.

Ricky Pearsall has plenty of WRs ahead of him on 49ers depth chart

The Niners giving Pearsall return duties in camp is a good way to help bolster his value, particularly in light of the many other receivers who are currently slated ahead of him on the depth chart.

Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings should all be viewed as wideouts who'll see the bulk of field time in 2024, meaning Pearsall is likely viewed as a WR4 to begin the season. And while he might be the go-to option in case of injury, the 6-foot-1 rookie might have to wait at least a full year before making his stamp on offense.

Aiyuk's well-documented contractual standoff doesn't prevent him from being on the field this season, as he's under contract through the year. And while it's certainly possible San Francisco moves on from Samuel in 2025, that's more of a "next year" problem and not something that'll be considered in the team's bid to win a Super Bowl right now.

If anything, Pearsall is a long-term investment, not a short-term fix.

Because of this, fans might not be too impressed with Pearsall's year-one impact. Samuel, Aiyuk and Jennings are more likely to get those looks over the rookie.

But, understanding how the 49ers have opted to draft for future needs instead of immediate ones, the returns might be better understood once 2025 rolls around.

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