The 49ers are getting old. They've more or less kept their core of players together since 2020. That's half a decade. They desperately need a young player to step up next season. And PFF expects that young breakout player to be Ricky Pearsall.

Just a month ago, people were asking if Ricky Pearsall is a bust. Now, Pearsall seems like one of the 49ers' most promising young players.

"I don’t know how he grew up so, I can’t judge him as a man just based off one action that he made," Pearsall said.

Pro Football Focus contributor Bradley Locker recently identified one breakout candidate for every NFL team heading into 2025. The pick for the San Francisco 49ers was wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, a young player whose 2024 rookie campaign took an unexpected turn.

It's fair to say Ricky Pearsall did not have a conventional rookie season. After incredibly surviving being shot through the chest in August, the San Francisco 49ers' first-round pick missed the first six games of the season after being placed on the non-football injury list.