Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
For The Record - 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
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While NFL Draft pundits and fans alike can give instant reactions to their team's player selections, it's easy to forget that the true value of the picks cannot be fully assessed until after a couple of seasons. Some players become instant starters (
Deebo Samuel) while others remain a work in progress (Solomon Thomas). Having said that, I want to pull out the receipts on what draft analysts were saying prior to the draft, along with their player comparisons. With the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft now in the books, let's review what various scouting outlets were saying about the 49ers' first-round picks. The San Francisco 49ers traded the 31st, 117th (Buccaneers), and 176th pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 26th pick to select Arizona State wide receiver, Brandon Aiuyuk.
NFL Player Comparison: Robert Woods, Emmanuel Sanders
Dane Brugler of The Athletic views Aiyuk as the 'definition of a playmaker' in his
2020 NFL Draft Guide:
Aiyuk is a "runway" athlete — if given any type of runway, he has the explosive gears and top-end speed to be a big-play threat, stretching simple slants into impact plays (averaged 11.1 yards after the catch in 2019). While he has a remarkable wingspan, his average play strength and continued maturation as a route runner are two areas where he needs to improve. Overall, the definition of a playmaker is a player who turns small plays into big plays and that is exactly what Aiyuk can do with his dynamic athleticism, projecting similar to Emmanuel Sanders (his skill set, role and impact) at the NFL level.
NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein sees Aiyuk as a
'natural pass-catcher':
Aiyuk has size, speed and is a natural pass-catcher who plays with good energy but he must improve physicality to handle contested catches. He can be slick and instinctive to separate out of stems and turns, but getting in and out of standard route breaks tends to limit his effectiveness. He needs more polish, but his ability to create yards after catch could get him some early reps while he's still developing. He has the potential to develop into a WR3.
ESPN Scout Inc.'s
Draft profile of Aiyuk gave him a 90 grade as 'an above-average route runner with good burst':
He tracks the ball well and is fast enough to threaten vertically. He makes defenders miss and breaks tackles after the catch. He's an above-average route runner with good burst. He has the occasional drop, but he has very good body control. He flashes the ability to pluck the ball out of the air. He's got an outstanding catching radius for his frame and the position. A groin injury prevented him from participating at the Senior Bowl.
Danny Kelly of the Ringer thinks Aiyuk can '
find pay dirt every time he touches the ball':
Quick-twitch pass catcher with the potential to find pay dirt every time he touches the ball.
While 49ers fans, myself included, were hoping general manager John Lynch would pull the trigger on either CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy with the 13th pick, the 49ers instead get their guy with their other first-round pick in Aiyuk. Lynch mentioned that the Miami Dolphins were slated to nab Aiyuk the pick after at No. 26 so the 49ers decided to trade up to get their guy. It bodes well that NFL pundits compare Aiyuk to Sanders because the rookie must fill that void after losing Sander via free agency to the New Orleans Saints.
Personally, I view Aiyuk as a bit raw of a prospect; it will become increasingly difficult for him at the next level if our current COVID-19 situation continues to compromise the offseason. Wide receivers typically take longer to develop and losing out on invaluable reps might prove costly. Nonetheless, head coach Kyle Shanahan specifically wanted Aiyuk for his obvious ability to make plays after-the-catch in a similar mold to last year's rookie, Deebo Samuel. We'll see in time if their surprising trade-up was worth it--they enter the second day of the NFL draft with zero picks and currently don't make another selection until the fifth-round. Aiyuk certainly wasn't as touted in comparison to Henry Ruggs III but he actually led all receivers with a career 9.9 yards-after-the-catch.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
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Sarge
Are the coaching staff's allowed to send playbooks to the players during this Coronavirus pandemic? Just curious. If you would could you e-mail me a response to make sure I get it? Otherwise I'll check back later for your response. Much appreciated? Read your columns often, best of luck to you.
Apr 26, 2020 at 6:13 AM
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Daniners
Raw is a bit strong. Maybe not refined. His ceiling is Issac Bruce. Floor isn't terribly low. He's going to be good. There's not Pettis risk there.
Apr 24, 2020 at 2:24 PM
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk named NFC Offensive Player of the Week
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 13
The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 1, winning 30-7 in a game where they never lost control, cruising to their first victory of the season.
While there were clear standouts on both sides of the ball, one player continued the excellent work he produced in the offseason in a monster Week 1 performance: Brandon Aiyuk, who caught all eight of his targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
Well, it seems like the NFL took notice, as Aiyuk was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1, starting off his 2023 campaign with an award already.
Brandon Aiyuk:
49ers mailbag: Is Colton McKivitz good enough? Will SF be able to extend Brandon Aiyuk? And more questions answered
The San Francisco 49ers came out of their week one win in Pittsburgh unscathed. Kyle Shanahan said on Monday that the team had no injuries to report. That is great news, and now they turn their attention to the Los Angeles Rams, who beat the Seahawks convincingly, in Seattle, on Sunday.
We opened the 49ers Webzone mailbag to see what was on your mind. So let's get to it.
Can the 49ers afford to sign him if BA keeps up this pace? - DoctorWDS
I think they have to find a way to pay Brandon Aiyuk. And I think they will. He's the 49ers best wide receiver, and he's only going to get better. Granted, the Steelers may have been more focused on shutting down Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, but Aiyuk did exactly what he was supposed to do. He caught
Kyle Shanahan provides injury updates on Brandon Aiyuk, others after 49ers beat Rams
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters after the team's 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. He provided injury updates from the game.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was in and out of the game due to a left shoulder injury. A reporter asked if the coach was concerned that the injury could be serious.
"I wouldn't think so," Shanahan responded. "I mean, I know he was hurting a little bit, but he was able to play through it, so I think I'll be all right."
The coach mentioned two other players in his post-game injury report.
"[CB Ambry] Thomas, he had a knee," Shanahan said. "He was in and out. After that, [CB Deommodore
Brandon Aiyuk's status vs. Giants remains unclear as 49ers face short week
The San Francisco 49ers have three days to prepare for their next opponent. For players, that work will begin on Tuesday. They have Monday off. It will be a quick turnaround for head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad, which will host the New York Giants on Thursday night at Levi's Stadium.
On Sunday, Brandon Aiyuk was in and out of the lineup against the Los Angeles Rams. The wide receiver suffered a shoulder injury. For now, Shanahan doesn't sound too concerned. Of course, the head coach is awaiting more information on his star player.
Shanahan spoke with reporters on Monday morning, likely getting his typical day-after-a-game conference call out of the way earlier than usual so he can return to preparing a game plan for the Giants. The coach was asked about Aiyuk's
