49ers’ Trent Sherfield a special teams demon — but here’s the catch

SANTA CLARA — Trent Sherfield made it to the NFL in large part because of his contributions on special teams.

It didn’t hurt that as an undrafted rookie out of Vanderbilt for the Arizona Cardinals, Sherfield recovered a blocked punt for a preseason touchdown.

But after three seasons with the Cardinals that included 28 receptions for 340 yards, Sherfield was surprised he wasn’t offered a contract.

Richard Hightower, the 49ers special teams coach, was paying attention and had prepared for the Cardinals in six different games — with Sherfield catching his eye every time during film review.

So Hightower lobbied for Sherfield as a free agent, and even vouched for his skill as a wide receiver just to get him in the door when in reality he’d rarely watched him closely in that role.

“Tower was standing on the table for him for special teams,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday after the first padded practice of training camp. “He promised me that he was really good at receiver and we believed him. He’s telling the truth so far.”

Sherfield was on the receiving end of one of the big plays during the 49ers first week of training camp — a 50-yard touchdown strike from rookie quarterback Trey Lance with linebacker Jonas Griffith trailing.

“Trey made a great read, ready for the defense in a two-high look and I just stuck to my responsibilities,” Sherfield said. “Trey threw an awesome ball down the middle for me to make a play.”

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The most impressive aspect of the play was Lance’s throw, and Sherfield ought to be able to win against a linebacker. But the fact that he read the defense correctly and made the play was a big moment for someone who will need to show he can do more than play on all four special teams units.

“It’s very hard to make our team on special teams if you can’t contribute as a receiver,” Shanahan said. “He’s a guy we think can play and has a chance to make this team as a receiver. And when you throw in how good of a special teams player he is, it makes him very hard for guys to beat out.”

For three years, Sherfield got minimal playing time, with the most receptions in a season coming in his rookie season with 19. But with veteran Hall of Famer-to-be Larry Fitzgerald on the roster, Sherfield felt as if he was earning a Ph.D. at the position.

“I was able to learn from one of the best receivers to every play this game,” Sherfield said. “To just see how he goes about his work, day in and day out. I had to wait my turn. I did my three years in Arizona. Took things I learned from Larry and I’m looking to spread my wings and help this team out, whether it’s on special teams or receiver.”

Sherfield, at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, has always had a good work ethic. He arrives at the practice facility at 5:30 a.m. each morning and maps out a schedule for every minute of every day.

“He’s a pro’s pro. He’s bringing guys along,” Hightower said. “Being around the guy, he fits right into our culture and we’re really happy to have him.”

As much as Sherfield learned from Fitzgerald, he’s discovering Shanahan’s offense is a different animal than the one he played in last season with the Cardinals.

“Being in Shanahan’s offense as a receiver, we’ve got to block, run all those things,” Sherfield said. “I’ve never been part of an offense like this.”

The 49ers, rather than bring in a veteran with extensive starting experience, will rely on second-year wideout Brandon Aiyuk (who is having an outstanding camp) as well as Deebo Samuel. Then there’s Mohamed Sanu, Richie James, Jalen Hurd, Travis Benjamin . . .

In other words, the more plays Sherfield can make like the one he made Tuesday, along with his value as special teams player on all four specialties — punt, punt return, kickoff, kick return — could be his ticket to the 53-man roster.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo likes what he’s seen so far.

“Trent’s been very reliable,” Garoppolo said. “We have so much offense in right now, so much of the playbook is installed. Some guys get lost in all of it mentally. He’s been out there sharp every day. He’s on his stuff. And as a quarterback, that’s the main thing you could ask for from a receiver. You’ve got to be on his stuff and in the spot you expect him to be.”

The pain Sherfield felt when Arizona declined to make a contract offer is a distant memory.

“I was a little bit heartbroken, but at the same time, that can only last for so long,” Sherfield said. “But once I got over it, I thought, ‘Who can I go play with and bring my value to?’ I had a couple of other teams on the table but I knew what the 49ers were about.”