7 NFL Draft moves from NFC West Division rivals that should alarm Rams fans

VI-V: 2 draft moves by San Francisco 49ers that could pose problems

The San Francisco 49ers have some internal matters to resolve, the team has been rumored to be struggling with the financial demands of veteran WR Brandon Aiyuk. Speculative resolutions rumored so far have included the 49ers trading away Aiyuk, trading away teammate WR Deebo Samuel and applying those cap savings to hammer out a new extension with Aiyuk, and doing nothing and let nature take its course.

Instead, the 49ers front office sent a clear message by drafting WR Ricky Pearsall, a young man who could replace Aiyuk in this offense.

WR Ricky Pearsall

Former Florida WR Ricky Pearsall is a 6-foot-1 189-pound wide receiver who played five seasons of NCAA football, splitting his time with three years at Arizona State, and two years with the Florida Gators. He is a swift and productive wide receiver who can flex from a deep-threat target to a possession type receiver to a guy how can put up yards in the running game, very much like 49ers current veteran Deebo Samuel.

His downside is similar to that of many NFL smallish wide receivers, in that he can be thrown off on timing by physical defensive that can challenge him at the line of scrimmage. The 49ers can counter that by pounding away with the rock, and then letting fly to Pearsall. And to do that, the 49ers have invested in more talent for their running back room.

RB Isaac Guerendo

I am not ashamed to admit that the 49ers have a nose for talent in terms of their running back room, and former Louisville runner Isaac Guerendo is a stout and productive runner who has every opportunity to continue their reputation. Standing 6-foot-0 and weight 215 pounds, Guerendo has the natural power and utility to serve as veteran RB Christian McCaffrey's understudy in 2024.

He is a big-bodied back whose production over the past three years has proven to be very efficient as well as on a rapidly accelerating development track. In 2023, he rushed 132 times for 810 yards (6.1 YPC on average) while scoring 11 touchdowns. He also managed to catch 22 passes for 234 yards.

On a lesser team, he would be less formidable. But on the 49ers roster, and with their ever-potent defense, Guerendo's ability to pound the rock and move the chains is amplified. The Rams will need to ensure that their run defense is up to snuff going forward.