The Pittsburgh Steelers had Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in for a pre-draft visit earlier this week, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pearsall, Georgia State offensive tackle Travis Glover, Washington running back Dillon Johnson and Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske are the only reported players to have visited (or at least scheduled a visit) with the Steelers at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Glover reportedly had his visit on Wednesday.
Pearsall had an impressive performance at the NFL Combine, recording a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash and a 42-inch vertical.
After trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers last week, wide receiver has become a top priority for the Steelers in the draft. Pearsall is projected to be a late second or third-round pick.
Pearsall transferred to Florida from Arizona State in 2022. In his two seasons as a Florida Gator, he recorded 98 receptions for 1,626 yards (16.6 average) and nine touchdowns. At Arizona State, he caught 61 passes for 794 yards (13.0 average) and five touchdowns.
Overall, Pearsall is a vertical slot receiver that has nice speed and ball skills. Florida often deployed him from the slot and put him in motion. His pro comp is Kenny Stills.
“Pearsall’s toughness, sure hands and blocking ability give him a trustworthy floor,” Derrick Bell of Steelers Now wrote in his scouting report on Pearsall. “It’s fair to acknowledge that other receivers in the class might have more potential but this is a player that’s ready to come in and contribute right away. It’s true that this receiver class is loaded, both at the top and from a depth standpoint, which could cause him to fall further than he would in a normal cycle. If the Steelers can plug some of their other holes prior to draft weekend, spending a mid-round pick on Pearsall makes a ton of sense and could prove wise very quickly.”
If the Steelers don’t address the wide receiver position in the first-round with a top-flight prospect, Pearsall could be a solid option in the mid rounds.
The NFL allows each team to have 30 pre-draft visits. Local visits are not counted.