Former Gator Sidelined from OTAs Due to Injury

As the 2025-26 NFL season approaches, one former Florida Gator will have to navigate a minor bump in the road as he prepares for training camp.

According to San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is expected to miss the rest of the team’s organized team activities (OTAs) after tweaking his hamstring during offseason workouts.

Throughout his rookie season, Pearsall caught 31 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns (third on the team) despite missing the first six games of the season after being shot in the chest. Besides his non-football injury, he was also slowed by a partial shoulder dislocation early in his rookie season.

The former Gator began to carve out a role in San Francisco’s offense late in the season, catching eight passes for 141 yards and a touchdown against the Lions, followed by six receptions for 69 yards and another score against the Cardinals in the final two games. 

With Deebo Samuel leaving in the offseason, and former All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk returning from a torn ACL/MCL, Pearsall is expected to have an increased role during his second professional season.

During his time at Florida, Pearsall caught 98 passes for 1,626 yards and nine touchdowns over the course of two seasons. In 2023, he led the Gators in receptions (65) and receiving yards (965). During his first season as a Gator, he caught 33 passes for 661 yards and five touchdowns.

Before transferring to Florida, Pearsall spent three seasons at Arizona State University, where he was a 2021 PAC-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention. 

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