2020 NFL Draft: Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk scouting report

Brandon Aiyuk has risen up 2020 NFL draft boards and could make an NFL team very happy if he’s in the right situation.

The 2020 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded at the wide receiver position. We know all about guys like Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, but today, we are going to dip a bit deeper. Today, we are going to take a look at Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a gifted pass-catcher who could be a great value selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Wide receiver can be a difficult position to scout as there are many things you have to look at in the individual’s performance. It’s easy to pull up the game log and read the stats, but you won’t be able to see the full picture. I watched some tape on Aiyuk and have some thoughts on his game.

I broke down some traits that are important in evaluating the wide receiver position. Each trait will be given a grade on a 20-80 scale. 20-30 being well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average.

Hands: 55

The number one thing for a receiver is obviously catching the football and despite how ridiculous it may sound, teams sometimes neglect this important trait. Brandon Aiyuk is a natural pass catcher, meaning he has soft hands and does not fight the ball. However, there were times when Aiyuk would lose focus trying to go up the field before looking the football all the way in which resulted in a dropped pass.

Route Running: 55

Aiyuk seemed to be pretty decent with the entire route tree relying mostly on his quickness and agility. He doesn’t need much coaching here although it couldn’t hurt. He should be able to transition well to the next level.

Quickness/Agility: 60

Aiyuk grades out exceptionally well here which allows him to rack up yards after the catch. He can wiggle past any defender with or without the football. As mentioned above his quickness and agility is a big reason for him getting open in the secondary.

Speed/Acceleration: 70

This is where guys make their money and there is no doubt that Aiyuk will show off his speed at the NFL combine (if he chooses to). Unlike some guys that have only straight-line speed, Aiyuk has the kind of speed that will help him on the football field. He can be running full speed, change direction and quickly accelerate past the defender. That is the kind of speed teams should be lining up for.

When you put all of his traits together you should come away impressed and excited about the potential he could bring to an NFL team. The 6-foot-1, 206-pound wideout put up big numbers for the Sun Devils catching 65 passes for 1,192 yards (10th most in the country) and 8 touchdowns. As it currently stands I have Brandon Aiyuk projected to go early in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Team Fits

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville will likely take a wide receiver in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The only way I see the Jaguars needing to take a receiver in the second is if Ohio State cornerback Jeffrey Okudah falls to them in the first round. However, in the case that they do select Okudah, they will need to fill a WR spot and Aiyuk would be a very nice weapon for whoever is at quarterback for Jacksonville.

New York Jets

It’s no secret that the Jets have failed to protect Sam Darnold which means they better address their offensive line early in round one. Robby Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent and even if they do resign him they’ll still need someone to go along him and Jamison Crowder. Adding Aiyuk to that mix would leave Sam Darnold very happy.

Philadelphia Eagles

You can almost make the argument that even if the Eagles address the wide receiver position in the first round they should double down and take Aiyuk in the second. In order for Carson Wentz to get back on track, the Eagles need to find him more weapons. There’s no question that Aiyuk would be a big upgrade to any receiver who is certainly on the roster, except perhaps Alshon Jeffrey.