The San Francisco 49ers are navigating turbulent waters early in the 2025 NFL season, with injuries decimating their wide receiver corps through the first three games. Amid this adversity, second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall has emerged as a beacon of hope, stepping up as a reliable target for quarterback Brock Purdy. However, comments from 49ers legend Steve Young on KNBR have sparked intrigue, hinting at both Pearsall’s potential and deeper concerns about the team’s roster stability as the season unfolds.
Pearsall’s Breakout Moment
Pearsall, selected 31st overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, has seized his opportunity in 2025. After recording 400 receiving yards in 11 games last season, per Pro Football Reference, the 25-year-old is already approaching that mark in just three games this year. With two 100-plus-yard performances, including a standout eight-catch, 114-yard effort in San Francisco’s 16-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on September 21 at Levi’s Stadium, Pearsall is proving he belongs.
Teammates have taken notice. Veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, visibly impressed, praised Pearsall’s stamina and chemistry with the team postgame. “Oh my goodness, man, he’s impressive,” Bourne said (h/t KNBR). “Just coming in, the energy was so connective between us, just dancing and enjoying each other. I told him his conditioning, his stamina, is top-tier. If he can play like that, he’s going to have a great career. He’s going to get paid a lot of money.”
Pearsall himself is brimming with confidence. “I’m building more and more confidence the more I’m playing, the more I’m practicing and getting reps in the offense,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area & California. “I’m super blessed and happy to be in this situation, especially considering the situation that I had to go through last year. There’s a lot to be thankful for.”
Steve Young’s Revealing Comparison
While Pearsall’s rise is a bright spot, Steve Young’s analysis of the young receiver on KNBR reveals both admiration and an underlying tension about the 49ers’ roster depth. Young likened Pearsall to former NFL star Steve Smith, noting his knack for finding open spaces on the field. “He’s Steve Smith a little bit,” Young said. “I feel like he has body control, and he’s going to get open. It’s not going to be explosive… But he understands. I feel like he really understands the spatial relationships on the field.”
Young compared Pearsall’s field awareness to that of former 49ers tight end Brent Jones, emphasizing his ability to anticipate and exploit defensive positioning, particularly against zone coverages. “As a quarterback, he’s going to be where you think he’s supposed to be,” Young added. “He’s going to find that space.”
Yet, Young’s praise comes with a subtle warning. By highlighting Pearsall’s reliability rather than explosiveness, he underscores a potential gap in the 49ers’ receiving corps—an absence of the dynamic, game-breaking speed that could stretch defenses. With star wideout Brandon Aiyuk sidelined by injury, alongside other receiver absences, Pearsall’s emergence as a dependable No. 2 option is critical but may not fully mask the team’s vulnerabilities.
Roster Anxiety Looms
The 49ers’ early-season injury woes at wide receiver expose a broader concern: depth. While Pearsall’s ascent is promising, the team’s reliance on a second-year player to shoulder such a significant role so early in the campaign raises questions about their ability to withstand further setbacks. Aiyuk’s eventual return will bolster the offense, but until then, Pearsall must continue to perform alongside veterans like Bourne and Deebo Samuel, who himself has battled injuries in recent years.
Young’s comments, while complimentary, subtly reflect this anxiety. His focus on Pearsall’s cerebral playstyle suggests confidence in the young receiver’s ability to fill the gap but also hints at a roster stretched thin. The 49ers’ offensive scheme, built on precision and versatility, demands receivers who can adapt to complex coverages and create separation. Pearsall fits that mold, but the lack of a true “explosive” threat could limit the team’s ceiling against elite defenses.
Can Pearsall Sustain the Momentum?
As the 49ers move deeper into the 2025 season, all eyes will be on Pearsall to maintain his early success. His ability to build chemistry with Purdy and capitalize on increased targets will be crucial, especially if injuries continue to plague the roster. Bourne’s prediction of a lucrative future for Pearsall underscores the belief that his work ethic and conditioning can make him a cornerstone of the offense.
For now, Pearsall’s focus remains on gratitude and growth. “There’s a lot of things to be happy and excited about each and every day,” he said. “I wake up and I just remind myself of that every single day.” This mindset, coupled with his on-field production, positions him as a potential long-term asset for San Francisco.
A Wake-Up Call for the 49ers
Steve Young’s words serve as both a celebration of Pearsall’s rise and a wake-up call for the 49ers. While the young receiver’s emergence is a testament to the team’s scouting and development, it also highlights the fragility of their current roster. As San Francisco aims to contend in a competitive NFC, addressing their depth issues and ensuring key players like Aiyuk return to full strength will be critical.
Pearsall’s ability to step up in the face of adversity is a promising sign, but the 49ers must heed the underlying message in Young’s analysis: a team built on reliability alone may struggle to keep pace in a league that rewards explosiveness. For now, Pearsall is answering the call—but the 49ers’ broader roster concerns linger as they forge ahead in the 2025 campaign.