I'm leaning this way too. Wing is great for a rookie if they are super talented and biding their time for another position, kind of like we have been doing with Oates. But if there's no one pushing for selection in the 17 that can play wing, throwing a rookie there can often backfire. Pearson showed how bad it can go. With more time I'm sure he will improve, but he's not a shade on Oates.
Look at the Premiership wingers for the last few years:
2014: Johnston (tryscoring machine), Tuqiri (a bit WTF but heaps of experience)
2015: Feldt (supremely talented finisher), Winterstein (Seasoned reliable pro)
2016: Feki (meh), Holmes (rep level)
2017: Vinivalu (machine), Addo Carr (super fast & talented)
If we're rebuilding this year and aiming for a premiership next year or 2019, you could throw a rookie in there and hope he succeeds. But no premiership team has had a rookie on the wing. Either established professionals, or young players who have come off at least one full season, usually more, of looking like future rep players.