Niners Nation
Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall stands out on Day 9 of training camp
“At the beginning of practice Saturday, Ricky Pearsall did not appear satisfied with an inside-breaking route during warmups.
He insisted on a do-over with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, as the pair missed on what should have been a simple completion with no defenders on the field.
Pearsall then hustled back to get one final pass from on the same route before moving on to the next practice drill. This time, the timing was right and the ball did not hit the ground.
Pearsall’s route-running diligence carried over to 11-on-11 drills, as he stood out during his team-best five-reception practice.
Pearsall got off to a hot start with a reception on a deep post from Purdy against the coverage of cornerback Dallis Flowers. Three plays later, he hauled in a Mac Jones pass of intermediate depth. Purdy was off and running on his best practice of camp.
Pearsall, the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has looked like the 49ers’ best receiver since being cleared off the physically unable to perform list last Sunday.”
49ers practice report: Alfred Collins off to slow start; Ricky Pearsall prolific (paywall)
“Undrafted rookie defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez continues to turn heads in pass-rush drills with his explosiveness and power.
Valdez beat Colby decisively on back-to-back reps before he drove Drake Nugent backward.
Valdez is an undersized interior defensive lineman (6-3, 301 pounds) with short arms (31¼ inches), but he’s a brute: He had 34 bench-press reps of 225 pounds at Washington’s pro day, more than any prospect at the combine.
Still, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is waiting to see Valdez in exhibition games before he gets too excited.
“He’s done a good job to (this) point,” Saleh said. “And with these three preseason games coming up, he’s going to have more opportunities to show what’s real and what isn’t.”
Jordan Watkins has been balling from day one’: Why 49ers rookie WR is turning heads (paywall)
“The way Watkins carried himself at Ole Miss practices assured his college receivers coach George McDonald he would be more than OK.
Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin would occasionally call out plays during the week from multiple seasons prior, so much so that McDonald deferred to Watkins, then in his third year with Kiffin: “I would be looking at him like, ‘What is this play?’ and he’ll be able to regurgitate it and get everybody lined up like we had just installed it.”
In a storybook ending to his college career, Watkins hauled in seven passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in a 52-20 Gator Bowl blowout against Duke. McDonald said one of Watkins’ touchdowns came on an in-game adjustment made thanks to feedback Watkins offered on cornerback leverage for a play call; he ran to the sideline between snaps to communicate it. Watkins was in for six...
