2020 NFL Draft: Grading each San Francisco 49ers draft pick

This was perhaps one of the more shocking moves in the 2020 NFL Draft. Many thought the San Francisco 49ers would be looking to move down to get more picks in 2020, but instead, the Niners sent 31, 117 (from the Tampa Bay trade earlier that night), and 176 to Minnesota to move up six spots. With that pick, they selected Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

It was long rumored that Aiyuk would be a first-round pick, but it was hard to peg who would make the selection. Most analysts highlighted the Packers, but San Francisco wasn’t going to wait around and see if Green Bay indeed liked him or not.

Aiyuk put on a show in his second season with the Sun Devils after transferring from a JUCO school. He racked up 65 catches for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games, which is more than satisfactory production. Aiyuk looked smooth as a route runner in 2019 and brought a ton of explosiveness to the Arizona State passing offense. His vertical speed and run after catch abilities were highlighted throughout the season.

His biggest issue in college was getting off press coverage, but in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, Aiyuk will likely be moved around the formation pre-snap and will get a lot of looks in the quick passing game to maximize his talents. This was an excellent landing spot for him, and the San Francisco 49ers got more explosive.

Grade: B+