Former Gators’ wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has a lot on his plate with the 2024 NFL Draft looming, but that hasn’t stopped him from mentoring a star in the making in sophomore WR Eugene Wilson III.
Between preparing for the NFL combine, meeting with NFL teams, and keeping his body right for summer camp, Pearsall still found time to attend some of Florida’s spring practices.
“I was actually at some of the practices. I went to their practice two days ago, I believe, and I was just watching Tre Wilson out there at work. He’s gonna be amazing this year. I’m super excited to watch him work,” Pearsall said on Wilson III. “I’ve been texting him throughout this time, just giving him feedback. I still got some of the passcodes here so I’m spying a little bit, watching practice, watching one-on-ones, just giving them a little feedback that I can give him and just letting him play his game.”
Pearsall and Wilson III shared the field together in 2023, combining for 126 catches, 1,503 yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns, the most productive pass catching duo since Kadarius Toney and Kyle Pitts in 2020, who combined for 1,754 yards and 22 touchdowns.
“I still look up to him as a mentor,” Wilson said on Pearsall. “We were just getting in some work last week. He most definitely took me under his wing, and I feel like if it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be in the shoes I’m in. But yeah, he most definitely stepped my game up, you know, not just looking up to him but wanting to better myself just because of the level he was on. I want to reach them levels. So he most definitely advanced my game.”
Transitioning from high school to college can be hard on your body as you go through a drastic change in your daily schedule, which includes a more intense workout program. Pearsall helped Wilson III through the injury process when he first arrived in Gainesville.
“When I first came in I was having deep tissue issues with my hamstrings and all that. And, you know, he comes and lets me know, ‘You know, your body is your temple.’ So make sure to take care of all that and go out there and make plays,” Wilson III said on what he learned from Pearsall.
Pearsall has been on the record over the years claiming that Wilson III will be a star, something the Tampa, Florida native believes is “mandatory” following Pearsall’s departure into the NFL.
“I feel that it’s mandatory,” Wilson III said on the expectations of being a star. “You know, I feel like he was cut short of 1,000 [yards] last year. I was really hoping he got it, but now, it’s kind of my goal to make it for him now.”
Wilson III is more comfortable in his second year in Florida’s program, which sets pretty high expectations given his productive freshman campaign. Wilson III averaged 6.1 receptions per game in 2023, which ranked 29th in the FBS. With Graham Mertz returning as quarterback, you can expect Wilson III to be the featured receiver in Florida’s offense.