49ers fear ex-Arizona standout Shawn Poindexter has torn ACL

Shawn Poindexter’s rookie year in the NFL may be over before it ever started.

The former Arizona Wildcats wide receiver was injured Monday night in the San Francisco 49ers’ preseason game against the Denver Broncos. On Tuesday, coach Kyle Shanahan said the team believes Poindexter suffered a torn ACL.

Poindexter, who was hurt on a special teams play, was scheduled to have an MRI to determine the extent of the injury, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports.

The news is devastating for Poindexter, who went undrafted in April after a stellar senior year at Arizona in which he tied the school record with 11 touchdown catches. He had two catches for 12 yards in the 49ers’ first preseason game but played just four snaps on Monday, four on offense and the one on special teams.

Maiocco wrote that Poindexter was a “prime candidate to land a spot on the 49ers’ practice squad this season” but is likely to end up on injured reserve unless the team opts to release him.