The Cincinnati Bengals are set on building around their star quarterback Joe Burrow, and that begins with finding more players for him to throw the ball to.
ESPN’s Matt Miller predicts that the Bengals will pick Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the second round with the No. 49 overall pick in his most recent seven-round mock draft released on March 27.
The NFL draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit.
“To operate the Bengals’ three-WR offense, you need three starting wide receivers,” Miller wrote. “That’s not currently the case, with Tee Higgins on the franchise tag and Tyler Boyd still a free agent. Pearsall would provide Cincinnati with at least one more option opposite Ja’Marr Chase. He’s quick and possesses some of the best end-zone footwork and ball-tracking in the class.”
Pearsall’s Stock Continues to Rise Ahead of NFL Draft
Pearsall spent the first three seasons of his college career at Arizona State, where he had 48 receptions for 580 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2021 before transferring to Florida.
During his two seasons at Florida, Pearsall made 98 receptions for 1,626 yards and 12 total touchdowns.
The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah ranked Pearsall as his No. 39 overall prospect and No. 7 wide receiver prospect on March 7 after he stood out in practices before the 2024 Senior Bowl , though he didn't play in the game.
“Pearsall is a relaxed, smooth wideout with exceptional hands and toughness,” Jeremiah wrote. “He is quick and he knows how to change gears as a route runner. He is smooth when entering and exiting turns. He has exceptional hands and makes some outstanding catches… he should have a starting role from Day 1 for his drafting team.”
Recent Draft History May Give Pearsall Added Boost
Pearsall put in a strong performance at the NFL combine, where the Chandler, Arizona, native measured in at 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds, and achieved an incredible, 42-inch vertical leap.
Pairing up with Burrow might seem like an even better fit when considering who Pearsall caught passes from in college. His starting quarterback in his first three seasons at Arizona State was 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, who transferred to LSU for his final two seasons. Daniels is projected by Miller to go to the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
During Pearsall’s first year at Florida, he played alongside Anthony Richardson, who was selected at No. 4 overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2023.
Teams could also be inclined to pick a standout wide receiver in later rounds this year following the Los Angeles Rams picking BYU’s Puka Nacua in the fifth round in 2023. Nacua set NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) on his way to being named second-team NFL All-Pro.
“(Pearsall) will need to prove that he has the ability to free himself against NFL man coverage,” wrote NFL analyst Lance Zierlein. “”Pearsall might get the stereotypical ‘crafty route runner’ label, but it suits him. He seems to play with a plan of how to manipulate certain coverage looks and leverages. He also plays with attention to detail and a consistent route tempo to create windows, but lacks ideal foot quickness to beat press and maintain separation.”
