Gators senior wide receiver Ricky Pearsall declared for the 2024 NFL Draft Tuesday. Pearsall accepted an invitation to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl, one of the top college all-star games for draft hopefuls.
“All I ever wanted to do since I first walked into the Swamp was to make all of you proud,” Pearsall wrote in a Tweet. “I will forever be a Gator and will always represent myself as a Gator.”
Pearsall spent two seasons at Florida after he transferred to the Gators from Arizona State where he spent his first three seasons. He had a collegiate career-best year this past season for UF.
He compiled 65 catches for 965 yards — both career highs — in 2023 for Florida and also grabbed four touchdown passes. Pearsall’s 965 receiving yards ranked fifth in the SEC.
Pearsall led the Gators in receiving yards in both seasons he was in Gainesville.
Florida will return several sophomores to the team next season. Freshman Eugene Wilson III led the team in receiving touchdowns with six and also was second on the team in catches and receiving yards with 61 grabs and 538 yards, respectively.
UF also returns freshmen Aidan Mizell and Andy Jean, who featured in limited action in 2022.
Contact Jackson Reyes at jacksonreyes@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JacksnReyes.
Jackson Reyes is a UF journalism senior and The Alligator's Fall 2023 Sports Editor. He previously served as Digital Managing Editor and was a reporter and assistant editor on the sports desk. In his free time, he enjoys collecting records, long walks on the beach and watching Bo Nix.
