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The 49ers took wide receiver Jalen Hurd in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, expecting him to become a playmaker. Instead, he still hasn’t played. Now it is fair to wonder if he will ever play.
Hurd missed his first season with a back injury and his second season with a knee injury, and after missing practice today for unspecified reasons, coach Kyle Shanahan said that Hurd is fighting for a spot on the team.
“I know he’s recovering from a serious injury,” Shanahan said, via the Chronicle of San Francisco. “We know the potential he has, and the benefits, and how much we think he can help us. But he has to show it. And there’s not much time left. We want to be smart with him. I know some things bothered him today. We were smart with him. But I hope he can get into a groove where he gets the chance to go play football and give himself a chance to make this team.
No one denies Hurd’s ability. He was an elite high school long distance runner, he started out as a true freshman in Tennessee, and in sophomore he edged Alvin Kamara on the Tennessee depth chart. After transferring to Baylor and moving up to wide receiver, he was an outstanding receiving threat in his final college season.
But the most important ability is availability, and so far Hurd hasn’t had it in the NFL.
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