Getty Kyle Shanahan on January 14, 2023 during the NFL postseason.
With the decision to waive Shae Wyatt, the San Francisco 49ers created an opening for the wide receiver position and who could be newly inserted into the Kyle Shanahan offense. They wound up hosting two wide receivers for a Wednesday, June 7 tryout — one with a past background as a quarterback and the other hailing from the XFL.
Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz of The Score, Jahcour Pearson from the XFL had a tryout with the Niners. The second wideout who worked out in front of the 49ers was Jason Moore — formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers but also a former quarterback.
Moore’s QB Past Plus Time With the Bolts
Moore originally began his high school career at Oberlin High School in Ohio lining up behind center, which included his senior season. Moore was 6-foot-3, 185-pounds and a dual-threat who could play multiple positions during that time. He also ran a reported 4.53 time in the 40-yard dash.
Moore, however, made the switch to wide receiver when he arrived at NCAA Division II program Findlay. He didn’t get a chance to see the field for his first two seasons before making his way onto the starting lineup in 2015, appearing in nine total games. He went on to score seven touchdowns in his official CFB debut.
But then he became a school record holder the following season by netting 1,115 receiving yards for the Oilers. He added another season record by crossing the end zone 15 times. He went on to add 14 more touchdowns in 2017.
Unfortunately, a failed drug test caused him to lose the first seven games of his 2018 campaign. Yet, he still honorable mention honors for the All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
The now 6-foot-3, 215-pound Moore went on to enter the league as an undrafted free agent and elder rookie at 24. He spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers and went on to grab six total receptions for 104 yards and started in one game during the 2021 season according to Pro Football Reference.
Pearson Was League Leader & was Around 49ers Before
Pearson, meanwhile, ended his XFL season as the league’s offensive player of the year — topping the league in two categories for the Seattle Sea Dragons.
He snatched 60 receptions, which led all wideouts in the XFL’s return. His 670 yards was another league-best mark. No other XFL wide receiver came close to hitting 600 receiving yards. Pearson additionally ended up with four touchdowns receiving and averaged 11.2 yards per catch. Lastly, he delivered a combined 10 catches that stretched between 20 to 40 yards. He was the 27th overall pick to the Sea Dragons in their 2023 draft.
Before starring in the XFL’s return, the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder was a three-star signing for Western Kentucky University. Pearson, though, only produced two seasons of surpassing the double digit mark in receptions — 2018 with 13 catches then 2019 with a career-best 76. The latter campaign was also the season that saw him score his first CFB touchdown and ended the year scoring seven.
That ’19 season would be the only campaign that saw Pearson cross the end zone. He went on to catch 26 passes for 392 yards in his transfer to Ole Miss in 2021. He went to Oxford as a non-scholarship transfer.
It’s not his first time being around the 49ers. He took part in their May 2023 rookie minicamp.
XFL star WR Jahcour Pearson putting on the BURNERS at #49ers rookie minicamp 😳