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49ers Adding Former 2-Time 1,000-Yard College Star to WR Room: Report

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Getty The 49ers celebrate a Christian McCaffrey touchdown on October 30.

The San Francisco 49ers will return from the bye week with a new player, a former back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver in college who was called “the most productive wide receiver” to ever come out of the University of Massachusetts.

The Niners are adding Tajae Sharpe to their practice squad, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on November 7.

“The sixth-year veteran, who had 25 catches for the Falcons last season, worked out for the Niners last week,” Garafolo tweeted.

Who the 49ers Are Adding

At 6-foot-2, Sharpe brings height to the 49ers’ receiver room. He has 36 career starts, with his most recent regular-season action coming in 2021 with the Atlanta Falcons, where he caught 25 passes for 230 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per catch. He was last seen with the Chicago Bears during the 2022 preseason, when he made an acrobatic grab on a pass by Justin Fields.

Sharpe, who will turn 28 in December, was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. He showed early promise with 41 catches for 522 yards with two touchdowns in his rookie season, averaging 12.7 yards per catch and earning 27 first downs off his receptions (still a career-best). But he missed all of the 2017 after injuring his foot during the preseason. He returned to start 13 games for the Titans in 2018. Then, in 2019, he had his best scoring season, catching four touchdowns — including three red zone scores.

Sharpe received his most starts in Nashville with 29. But since then, he’s started in just seven games the last two seasons in stints with the Minnesota Vikings and the Falcons. He never started a regular season game with the Bears — who removed him from injured reserve with an injury settlement, per NFL insider Aaron Wilson on September 9.

Ahead of the 2016 draft, NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein called Sharpe “the most productive receiver to come out of UMass.” Sharpe ascended immediately in the UMass uniform — going from 20 catches his freshman season in 2012 to finishing his college career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons of 1,281 to 1,319 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Sharpe also ended his college career hauling in 111 receptions.

Sharpe additionally became a 13-catch threat on any given game, hitting that reception mark three times in his career, according to the school website. He also caught a 75-yard pass against Penn State on September 20, 2014. Zierlein wrote how Sharpe delivered “staccato footwork that works in his favor,” is “able to shake press coverage and get into routes quickly,” and “gets to top speed quickly.” He concluded how Sharpe “has the talent and football character to become a productive NFL receiver.”

49ers Set to Face Top 10 Pass Defense

The 49ers will host the Los Angeles Chargers for NBC’s Sunday Night Football on November 13.

The Chargers bring with them the league’s seventh-best pass defense at allowing just 1,654 yards, 13 touchdowns (tied for eighth fewest in the league) and has snatched seven interceptions — the most among AFC West teams.

The Chargers didn’t allow a single wide receiver to surpass 28 yards individually on the receiving end in their 20-17 road win over Atlanta in Week 9. The Chargers secondary bottled up tight end Kyle Pitts, who made only two catches for 27 yards on seven targets. Quarterback Marcus Mariota only threw for 129 passing yards and got sacked twice.

Lorenzo Reyna covers the Los Angeles Rams for Heavy.com. His NFL, college and high school football coverage has been featured on Pro Football Network, Santa Maria Times, Daily Pilot, 24/7 Sports and Scout Media. He is based in southern California. More about Lorenzo Reyna

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