The Indianapolis Colts hold seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft and with one of those picks, they will have a chance to select Ricky Pearsall. In 2022, Pearsall transferred to the Florida Gators from Arizona State. It was within that season that Pearsall became teammates with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson. While the two spent a short time on the field together, they have managed to stay in touch. In an interview with Jake Arthur from Locked on Colts, Pearsall talked about his relationship with Richardson and deemed it “special” to have a chance to team up with him again.
The Colts have the opportunity to make this duo a reality. Pearsall is projected to be selected in the second or third round. However, for a wide receiver with a lot of upside, he will draw eyes early on day two. Therefore, the Colts would need to act if they want to get Ricky Pearsall on their team.
Why Ricky Pearsall would be a good fit for the Indianapolis Colts
Familiarity with Anthony Richardson
One of the things that makes a quarterback and wide receiver duo so lethal is their familiarity with one another. Pearsall spent one season with Richardson as, primarily, the number one receiver. For any quarterback that has consistent success in the league, he typically has a primary receiver. The familiarity of the two drives continuity and consistency on the field. For Tom Brady, his primary receivers were Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski. For Peyton Manning, his primary receivers were Marvin Harrison Sr. and Reggie Wayne. Even Andrew Luck relied on T.Y. Hilton for success. Patrick Mahomes relies heavily on Travis Kelce and the list can go on.
The bottom line is that familiarity between receiver and quarterback is crucial. If the Colts were to draft Ricky Pearsall, he and Anthony Richardson would already be ahead of the game. This is not to say that Pearsall would turn into the Colts primary receiver, but with his talent and upside, he could turn into the primary receiver down the road. Regardless if he’s primary or not, the Colts could use an additional talent at receiver for Richardson. Pearsall would fit the mold. He is already familiar with Richardson as his former quarterback and he is an explosive talent.
Explosive Capabilities
Outside of his familiarity with Anthony Richardson, the Indianapolis Colts should pursue Ricky Pearsall for his explosive capabilities. In his 2022 season with Richardson, Pearsall finished with 33 receptions for 661 yards and five touchdowns. While these numbers might seem minute, it is his average per reception that is impressive. In 2022, Pearsall led the entire SEC in yards per reception with 20 and was fourth in all of the NCAA. In 2023, he would finish with 65 receptions for 965 yards which both ranked sixth in the SEC.
On top of being explosive with receptions, Pearsall also had abilities rushing the football. In 2022, he finished with eight rushes for 113 yards and one touchdown. He also progressed into a punt returner in 2022 which translated into more opportunities for punt returns in 2023. In 2023, Pearsall had 11 returns for 126 yards. His 11 returns ranked ninth in the SEC and his punt yards ranked seventh in the SEC. It is safe to say that Pearsall is a jack of all trades when it comes to the wide receiver position. He would be a great addition to the Colts receiving squad and a great compliment to Josh Downs in the slot.
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