With receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall on their roster already, the San Francisco 49ers have signed yet another former ASU wideout to their offense.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, he stated that free agent and ex-Sun Devil Frank Darby is joining Aiyuk and Pearsall in “The Bay.”
“49ers are signing former Falcons free-agent wide receiver Frank Darby to a one-year contract,” Schefter said.
49ers are signing former Falcons free-agent wide receiver Frank Darby to a one-year contract.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 27, 2024
Coming out of Lincoln (N.J.) High School as a three-star recruit, Darby was originally committed to Iowa but switched to Arizona State for college. He would redshirt in his true freshman year in Tempe.
From there on, Darby played 40 games across four seasons (2017-2020) for ASU with 67 receptions for 1,317 yards and 13 touchdowns. The now 26-year-old also rushed for 21 yards and scored a touchdown.
The New Jersey native then was drafted No. 187 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 before signing a four-year rookie contract. Darby appeared in 16 NFL games across the past three seasons, collecting two receptions for 29 yards.
In 2022, he was waived, re-signed to the Falcons practice squad and promoted to the active roster in November of that year. Darby would be waived and re-signed again last season before his contract expired.
The trio of Darby, Aiyuk and Pearsall spent the 2019 season together as they went 8-5 and now have the opportunity to be teammates once again. Aiyuk was a Sun Devil during 2018-19 and the Corona del Sol High School product Pearsall suited up for his hometown team from 2019-21 until he transferred to Florida.
In late April, Pearsall reunited with Aiyuk when he was selected with the No. 31 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Since Aiyuk is holding out over contract disputes with San Francisco, however, he requested a trade and there have not been any resolutions in this ongoing situation.
As a result of Aiyuk’s standstill and Pearsall currently dealing with a hamstring strain, the 49ers will look to Darby as someone who can fill in a role for receiver depth.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
