26.4.24

Niners draft ... Ricky Pearsall ... ?

I'm not really too into criticizing Shanny and Lynch's draft picks, or really most of the NFL GMs. This is because I have a fraction of a fraction of a percentage of the time and resources they have in scouting and researching these kids in college.

Sometimes though, I am admittedly confused by a pick (Solomon Thomas). Sometimes it's obvious and no questions need to be asked (Nick Bosa), and sometimes it turns out to be a fantastic if somewhat surprising pick (Brandon Aiyuk, in one of their best trade ups ever).

We all know they like to take swings on WR (Pettis, Hurd, Danny Grey) and they sure like to take special teamers early. But for the most part, they know more than I do so I watch and I speculate and sometimes I cheer and sometimes I scratch my head.

So the selection of Ricky Pearsall was surprising because a. no one projected him as a first round pick - if the mock was a WR at 31, it tended to be Ladd McConkley - and b. with all the BA and to a lesser extent Deebo trade talk, this obviously only heated all that BS up. (Please don't trade them, guys.)

My best guess is they keep BA and Deebo, and Shanny, ever the innovator, wants to run 4 WR sets this season - with Jauan as the 4th, and with Kittle at right side TE. He can line Deebo up in the backfield too, or he can replace Deebo with CMC. I think this would truly strike fear into opposing defenses, depending on how deep and how talented in coverage their safeties and linebackers are.

Now, they could have already done this formation with CMC in the backfield, BA and Jauan out wide and Deebo in the slot (or JJ in the slot and Deebo out wide). Technically. Which means they see something in Pearsall's slot skills that already surpasses what we have on the team already. A lot of analysts list route running as Ricky's biggest asset, along with sure hands.

Well let's hope so, Niners fans. Cause I sure as heck wanted a tackle in the first round. (I know the best prospects were already taken, but a guy like Kingsley Suamataia for example, I've read about, and I don't think he's gonna fall to 63.)

One thing Lynch has is nine remaining picks, and we probably don't need all of those, so I'm still hoping for a Day 2 trade up. Maybe we can still snatch a solid OT prospect (Suamataia, or there is a bit of Roger Rosengarten buzz), or a CB like Cooper DeJean or Rakestraw. Actually at this point a trade up for a solid CB prospect would be great, then maybe we can snag a project like Rosengarten in round 3. But I mean, we can't actually rely on Shanny and Lynch's late round magic every year. Can we??

1 comment:

BC said...

And I live watched as Rakestraw, Rosengarten and - in a pick swap with the Niners yet! - the Chiefs take Suamataia at 63. OUCH Kyle and John, OUCH. Which means, for me and likely for many other Niners fans, that Renardo Green better turn into friggin' Darrelle Revis. Or, you know, at least be an actual starting outside corner in the NFL.