In a class headlined by elite prospects at the wide receiver position, none are more intriguing as a Day 2 option for the Denver Broncos than the University of Florida and Arizona State alum, Ricky Pearsall.
Pearsall combines high-end athleticism, extreme toughness, route-running savvy, blocking ability, and the versatility to play inside or outside. Throw all that in a pot, give a few stirs, and you’re looking at a perfect Sean Payton wide receiver.
Ricky spent his first three seasons at Arizona State as a reserve only ammassing 710 yards with five TDs before he transferred to Florida in 2022. Once a Gator, Pearsall flourished, quickly becoming the team’s leading receiver in yards and touchdowns (with 604 yards and 4 TDs, respectively) as he caught passes from Anthony Richardson, who is now the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback. While Pearsall’s numbers may appear pedestrian, it’s important to keep in mind the offensive scheme the Gators implement, which utilizes a lot of RPOs and a heavy emphasis on the run game.
Entering his final season, this time with no Anthony Richardson, Pearsall took another major step forward, finishing out the year with over 1,000 all-purpose yards, while leading the team in receptions and tying for second on the team in all-purpose touchdowns (six).
His tape alone felt like that of a top-100 pick, but it wasn’t until his eye-popping performances at the Senior Bowl and the Combine that his name started swirling as a possible top-50 selection.
The Senior Bowl, as a whole, absolutely favors receivers like Pearsall. Quick separators running one-on-ones without the threat of serious contact always results in guys getting pushed way too far up draft boards. This year was no different as guys like Ladd McConkey, Javon Baker, Roman Wilson and, of course, Pearsall were the talk of the town in Mobile for the entirety of practice week. DBs dreaded lining up across from Pearsall, who could beat guys shallow, intermediate or deep, depending on the route. His ability to tempo his routes to keep defenders on their heels before snapping on his breaks is second to none, and he has the ball-tracking ability with willingness to high-point through contact. This was all on full display at the Senior Bowl, as he was able to run a more diverse route tree against top competition that was primarily running man coverage.
After Mobile, all eyes were on the combine, and once more, Pearsall did not disappoint. He measured in at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds before putting on a show in the drills portion. Ricky had a 10-foot-9 broad jump, which is 94th percentile for receiver prospects, and a 42-inch vertical, which is in the 99th percentile. He ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash (92nd percentile) and, in the most important testing drills, the agility drills, he also was in the mid-to-high 90s percentile-wise.
At the end of the day, his overall relative athletic score (RAS), was a 9.90 out of 10.00, making him a 99th-percentile athlete at the position. Among all receivers tested since 1987 in the RAS database, Ricky Pearsall had the 32nd best score out of 3,121 receivers.
Combine testing results can be a bit unreliable for knowing the true on-field athleticism of a prospect but luckily Pearsall’s speed, leaping ability, and agility all popped on tape even if not to this extreme of a degree. Pearsall also had arguably the most impressive gauntlet at the combine. The gauntlet is a test of a receivers focus, body control, hands, and adjustment ability and Ricky ran it like a seasoned vet.
After his incredible performances at the Senior Bowl and combine, Pearsall opted out of testing at his Pro Day so his pre-draft testing days are over. All that remains for Pearsall are interviews and team meetings before it’s draft night, and based on his collegiate production, and his breath-taking pre-draft process, it shouldn’t be a surprise at all to hear Pearsall’s name called early on Day 2, hopefully by the Denver Broncos.
Positives
- Three-level separator with varied releases to beat press coverage.
- Nuanced route runner with a great understanding of how to manipulate DB leverage.
- Natural feel for zone coverages and how to slightly modify his routes to beat them.
- Competitive toughness in every aspect of his game.
- Physical at the catch point.
- Has the athleticism to be used as a gadget player on screens and in the run game.
- Willing and effective blocker against defensive backs and when and cracking down on ends.
- Natural body adjuster for the football with surprising catch radius for his length.
- Works back to the football and competes for his quarterbacks.
Negatives
- Some teams will view him as a slot-only player because of his frame.
- Limited production and usage in college.
- Skinny, at 190 pounds, despite being 6-foot-1.
- Freestyles too much on his routes.
- Entering the league at 23, and will take his first regular season snap at 24.
- Looks more like a good athlete than an elite athlete on tape.
- There’s some uncertainty on how he’ll look in a standard pro style offense.
Overall
There is probably no receiver in this process that infatuates the viewer quite like Ricky Pearsall. What his ceiling will be at the next level is a serious question, but his floor is something teams should be more than willing to bet on. All the things you look for in a modern day receiver, Pearsall does and then some.
He’s one of the hardest working guys on the field every snap and does all the extra stuff that draws you in.
The ability to easily get open is incredible, but what really sells you on Pearsall, are the multiple times, seemingly every game, where he just shows everyone else how much more he wants it than them. Whether it’s going up for a contested reception with a safety bearing down, absorbing a hit while maintaining possession and just popping back up, or surprising the occasional linebacker with his tenacity on run blocks, Pearsall hyper-competitive.
He’s just a damn good football player, through and through.
If he can be the athletic freak he tested like, that’s all just a bonus.
It sounds so cliche because, Pearsall is that prototypical, white, slot receiver, but he is the pure embodiment of that prototype.
He’s tougher than you, he’s crafty, and he’s faster than you expect. Once he’s got space, even the slightest opening, he’s making the grab. It doesn’t matter if it’s a jump ball between a safety and a corner, or a hole shot with the split safety about to tear his head off, Ricky Pearsall is making the play.
For the Denver Broncos
As it currently stands, the Denver Broncos lack a second-round pick, thanks to last season’s trade for Sean Payton. The 12th overall pick is obviously way too high of a selection to use on Ricky, and I don’t believe he falls down to pick 76 leaving Denver without many options to acquire him. Pearsall is likely on a different team than Denver in 2024, barring a trade-down, but he’d be a great addition, and he already has some ties to Denver.
First, the position is a serious need.
The Broncos lost Jerry Jeudy this offseason, and it is still unknown whether Courtland Sutton will return, though at this point it seems like he’s staying. They brought back Tim Patrick after his back-to-back season ending injuries and are excited about the progression of Marvin Mims and Brandon Johnson. But still, this receiving room lacks true difference-makers and is primarily made up of aging vets who don’t feel like long term solutions.
Pearsall would provide immediate insurance for Denver’s receivers with his versatility in both alignment and skill set. He would be the best slot receiver on the roster from Day 1, barring a miraculous return to form for Patrick, and would provide an immediate boost to the run game, considering the blocking efforts we’ve seen, or, more accurately, haven’t seen, from Jeudy over the years.
He’s also a great fit for teams looking to find their quarterback of the future. A lot of his traits, like his catch radius, and his understanding of zone coverages, make him an easy match for an inexperienced starter.
He’s a great security blanket, and his toughness both through the catch and after will only benefit a quarterback suffering through growing pains.
While he might not be a consistent thousand-yard receiver, he can be a solid second or third option on an offense from Week 1, with the potential to be even more in an offense that better features his skill sets.
Sean Payton has coached a wide variety of receiver types to major success throughout his career. He’s always placed premium value on the ability to separate, alignment versatility, and willingness to contribute as a blocker.
Based on these three traits alone, it would be very shocking if Pearsall isn’t on Payton’s radar.
On top of this, and arguably the most enticing part of Pearsall on the Denver Broncos, is his familiarity with second-year wide receivers coach Keary Colbert. Colbert was Pearsall’s wide receiver coach his at Florida, up until this past season. Plus, as mentioned, Pearsall was instantly made the focal point of the Gators’ passing attack.
The connection between Pearsall and Colbert is obvious, and is further emphasized by Pearsall’s comments on Coach Colbert’s attention to detail, from back in 2022.
This coaching connection, Payton’s willingness to be aggressive and move up for the guys he likes, and the ideal fit in the scheme all make Ricky Pearsall seem like a very real possibility for Denver in 2024.
How do they do it? That’s not clear. Trade up? Trade down? Who knows.
All that’s known is that the Denver Broncos have desperately needed to upgrade their arsenal of receiving threats for years now.
While this might not be the elite selection that immediately changes the outlook of the offense as a whole, this would be a safe investment on a unit that needs hits. In recent years Denver’s receiver selections have swayed much more towards volatility, with big hits and big misses. The last few years have been filled with so many attempted home run swings by Denver that resulted in the organization on its backside. The idea of adding a high-floor player that boasts familiarity with the coaching staff sounds like a dream scenario.
This team isn’t contending right now, and likely isn’t in the short-term future. They’re down quite a few runs and need to mount a comeback for the ages. So, it’s not about swinging for the fences, it’s about getting on base. Ricky Pearsall is the type of ‘one-out single’ this Denver Broncos franchise so desperately needs.
