KC Chiefs 2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Florida WR Ricky Pearsall
The 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the Kansas City Chiefs are seeking yet another quality haul from general manager Brett Veach.
In recent seasons, Veach and his staff have used the draft to bring in cost-controlled young talents to insulate a championship roster. The results speak for themselves, although windows can close quickly. Kansas City hopes that a good 2024 rookie class joining one of football's younger teams can keep 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 an experienced wideout who works well on double moves and can shake defenders with them. He's a very effective target against zone coverage (almost 60% of his target share in 2023 was against it) and is a more than willing blocker. Pretty textbook operator from a route-running standpoint. He works back to the football, understands leveraging defenders and should endear himself to his first quarterback fairly quickly. Pearsall offers a bit of alignment versatility, as he has the length to play on the outside but can also work out of the slot or even the backfield if needed.
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.
Andy Reid and the Chiefs make a lot of sense for Pearsall. In an offense that doesn't traditionally go full-on with its splits between slot and out wide, it also features some creative ways to get gifted pass-catchers involved. That's a great fit for the Florida product as he enters the NFL. Pearsall would inject playmaking ability and nuance into Kansas City's offense, albeit with some possible limitations with upside. For the reigning champs, that might just be worth a second-round pick if Pearsall is still available at pick No. 64.
