Williams is impressed by poise from 49ers rookie Moore

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SANTA CLARA -- 49ers star left tackle Trent Williams believes Jaylon Moore has a quality he wished he would have had as a rookie. 

Moore, a 2021 fifth-round draft pick out of Western Michigan, has impressed the 11-year veteran through his first season thus far. In Week 7, the swing tackle took over on the left side for Williams while he was recovering from an ankle injury. 

Now the rookie is preparing to hold down the right side of the offensive line for Mike McGlinchey, who will miss the rest of the season after tearing his quad in Week 9 in the 49ers' loss to the Arizona Cardinals. 

“His poise during a pass set, when a guy's pass rushing,” Williams said on Saturday. “Being able to be relaxed and be poised. That’s a big step forward. Not everyone comes in like that. I didn’t, certainly, when I was a rookie a century ago. He’s a dancing bear and he can move. 

“He’s a guy fit for the offense and I think his career has a very high ceiling and I just want to help him get there.”

Kyle Shanahan has also been impressed with the rookie tackle and believes that Moore will not be overwhelmed by his new role. Both the head coach and Williams have been impressed with the rookie's progress. 

“Yeah, his demeanor has been very impressive since he’s gotten here,” Shanahan said. “Doesn’t talk a ton, but pretty poised. Nothing seems too big for him. That’s kind of how he played in the Indy game. I thought it was an adjustment for him moving to the right earlier in the week, but I think he got better each day with the reps.”

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Switching sides is a challenge for any tackle, needing to reset their muscle memory. Moore has been working on both sides since being drafted by the 49ers, so Williams believes he is ready for the challenge. 

“He has made tremendous strides from OTAs and training camp,” Williams said. “Even when he played Sunday night, I think he played pretty well, especially for a guy just getting his feet wet. We got a lot of faith in Jaylon. 

“If you ever talk to him, he’s a pretty laid back dude. He doesn’t get to riled up, so I’m really not worried about him a whole lot. I think he will be good.”  

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