Arizona State took on Oregon State in a Pac-12 football matchup earlier this season. As has been the norm with home games the Sun Devils play, a number of high school recruits were in attendance.

One of those recruits? Corona del Sol senior wide receiver and ASU commit Ricky Pearsall.

The three-star wideout has been a staple in the Aztecs’ lackluster offense since his breakout sophomore year campaign. After Corona del Sol finished 4-6 after Pearsall’s sophomore season, the team went on a coaching hunt and hired a new coach in Jon Becktold.

However, the Aztecs still have not realized much success now in their second season with Becktold at the helm. In year one, Corona del Sol finished 2-8 despite 1,153 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns from Pearsall. Now in his senior season, the Aztecs are 10 games in and have won just one game.

“We don’t have very much offensive production right now,” Becktold said. “Ricky is our best kid. He’s for real, but, yeah, we rely on him a lot, but other people are going to have to start making some plays eventually.”

Pearsall committed to the Sun Devils in June, a week after receiving a scholarship offer from ASU. He attended ASU coach Herm Edwards’ camp, and wide receivers coach Charlie Fisher took an interest in the 6-foot-2, 210 pound receiver. Fisher told Pearsall to come back to campus the next day. When he arrived they did a photo shoot, and Edwards surprised him with a scholarship offer.

"I believe in Herm Edwards and the coaching staff and really like what they're doing over there for the program," Pearsall said. "Staying home where family and friends are was a very important aspect for me. Being able to have them come watch my games and support means everything. The culture and tradition of being a Sun Devil is something I wanted to be a part of."

Pearsall had seven other scholarship offers, none of which were at the Power 5 level despite his impressive testing results, good size and a state record set last season with 342 receiving yards in a single game.

Now in his senior campaign, Pearsall has accumulated 57 receptions for 695 yards and four touchdowns. Corona del Sol senior quarterback Ryan Helt said he feels that his connection with Pearsall should be resulting in more team victories.

“Athletically we’re there,” Helt said. ‘Me and Ricky have been throwing together ever since freshman year. We’ve just had that connection where I think if we exploit that, I think we can beat a lot of these teams because a lot of people just can’t guard Ricky because he’s just so athletic.”

With Mountain Pointe on tap next for Corona del Sol (1-9, 0-4 region), Pearsall will look to expand on the success he had last week in a 56-15-1 loss to Desert Vista, a contest in which he recorded 148 receiving yards on nine receptions. It was the third time this season he eclipsed 100-plus yards through the air for the Aztecs.

Pearsall joins an ASU recruiting class that currently features two other wide receivers: Jordan Kerley, a three-star recruit out of McNeil High School in Austin, Texas; and Andre Johnson, a three-star recruit out of Tolleson Union High School in Tolleson, Arizona.

An Arizona native, Pearsall will be marketed to the Sun Devils’ fan base as a “Hometown Hero” during his stint in the maroon and gold.

"I feel like growing up here, it's a great opportunity and I really like all the coaches and what they've had to say," Pearsall said. "The facilities and location and everything really about ASU I love."