WR Ricky Pearsall Returning to Florida in 2023
Photo: Ricky Pearsall; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall announced on Saturday that he will return to the Gators for his second season in Gainesville and fifth year of college football.
A native of Chandler, Ariz., Pearsall transferred to Florida this past offseason following three seasons at Arizona State. He was considered the No. 151 wide receiver and a consensus three-star prospect in the class of 2019, per the 247Sports Composite, before joining the Sun Devils.
It didn't take long for Pearsall to quickly outplay his high school ranking and eventually transfer to an SEC program.
He emerged as a deep threat in a limited role during his freshman and sophomore seasons at ASU before hauling in 48 grabs for 580 yards and four touchdowns in 2021 and eventually entering the transfer portal, leading him to UF.
Pearsall compiled 33 receptions with single-season career-highs of 661 receiving yards (20 yards per catch) and five touchdowns in his lone campaign with the Gators, adding 113 yards and a score across eight rushing attempts. He served as a dependable slot option for quarterback Anthony Richardson and finished the year as UF's leader in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Pearsall admitted that he was still weighing his career options after Florida's loss to Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 17.
"There's a lot of aspects that go into it. But, you know, I'm still thinking about it, being patient with it," Pearsall said. "But I love being here, and I think that's a really important aspect for my decision. I love [head] coach [Billy Napier] and all my teammates, so I'm proud of these guys."
Pearsall shared on Monday, Jan. 2 that he had received an invitation to the NFL Combine this offseason. He ultimately passed up on his interest from the pros to give the Gators their No. 1 receiver back and boost his draft stock as a fifth-year senior.
Stay tuned to All Gators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @AllGatorsOnFN on Twitter and All Gators on FanNation-Sports Illustrated on Facebook.
Get your Gators football, basketball and other sporting events tickets from SI Tickets here.
