Having played his college football at prestigious Vanderbilt University, Trent Sherfield likely had to log long hours studying throughout his career prior to the NFL. Now that Sherfield has cracked the 49ers' 53-man roster, fellow wideout Mohamed Sanu anointed the perfect nickname upon the 25-year-old.
"From the jump, I called him 'Textbook Trent,' because everything he does, he does it textbook," Sanu told reporters Thursday. "To see how he comes in day in and day out and extra work and attention to detail, it shows in his performance."
Sherfield was a limited offensive contributor during his three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted in 2018, catching just nine passes over the past two seasons.
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However, Sherfield has showed out during his first training camp with the 49ers. Sherfield was on the receiving end of rookie Trey Lance's first touchdown pass in a 49ers uniform, an 80-yard bomb in the first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Sherfield put together consistent practices and was effective with both Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback, solidifying his spot on the 49ers' 53-man roster going into the regular season.
After being mostly a special teams contributor in Arizona, Sherfield will have a chance to be an impact player for the 49ers' offense in 2021. Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, along with star tight end George Kittle, should command most of the attention of opposing defenses. Sherfield and Sanu should have plenty of opportunities against single coverage.
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The 49ers will need that attention to detail in the receiving corps as they hope to bounce back from a 6-10 season and look to earn a spot in the NFL playoffs.