JACKSONVILLE – Josh Pearson will have a chance to continue his football career in Tampa Bay.
 
Jacksonville State's record-breaking wide receiver signed a free agent deal with the Bucs on Saturday evening within minutes after the completion of the 2020 NFL Draft, making him the first Gamecock to reach an agreement with an NFL team this season.
 
Pearson was one of the top FCS receivers in the nation the last two years for the Gamecocks. In 2019, he earned All-America honors for the second year in as many seasons on the field in Jacksonville. A senior from Decatur, Ala., also earned his second-straight All-OVC nod in 2019 after a first-team mention a year ago. He wraps up a record-breaking two seasons on the field for JSU with a school-record 30 touchdown catches that rank among the top 10 in OVC history. 
 
His 13 touchdown catches in 2019 are the second-most in a season in school history to his school-record 17 set in 2018. This season saw him lead the FCS in touchdown catches for the second-straight season and haul in 59 catches for 943 yards, tying Joey Hamilton (1998) for the fifth-most in a season in JSU history. 
 
He participated in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Jan. 18 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., and had a solid showing at JSU's Pro Day the week before COVID-19 shut down spring practices and pro workouts across the country.
 
Pearson is the 20^th Gamecocks to reach an agreement with an NFL team since John Grass took over as head coach in 2014. He is just the second JSU player to ever sign with Tampa Bay, joining Torey Davis in 2009.