San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is unsure if rookie wide receiver Jalen Hurd will be ready for the team's Week 1 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to San Francisco Chronicle's Eric Branch. Hurd is dealing with a back injury.
Hurd sustained the injury before the team's preseason bout versus the Denver Broncos; he was placed on a limiting snap count for the game. He was then out for the next week's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
On the injury, Shanahan recently said, via Jennifer Lee Chain of NBC Sports 49ers:
“I wouldn't have thought that a week ago, but it's still lingering. It's definitely legit, so we're going to rest it here again this whole week, and then we'll probably reassess it on Monday and see where he's at.”
Hurd caught fire in his first-ever NFL action. Against the Dallas Cowboys, the receiver caught three passes for 31 yards; turning two into touchdowns. Those were his only logged receptions of the preseason, but he made them count.
A former five-star running back at the University of Tennessee, Hurd (6-foot-5, 226-pounds) converted to wide receiver after transferring to the Baylor Bears. In his lone season playing Big-12 football, Hurd caught 69 balls for 946 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 209 yards and three touchdowns on 48 attempts.
Hurd's athletic skill set, size, and production in one season as a receiver earned him the opportunity to be a third-round pick by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL Draft. The team has high hopes for him to thrive in a rebuilt receiving corps highlighted by Marquise Goodwin, Dante Pettis, and Deebo Samuel.
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