Blue
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,079
- 0
INDIANAPOLIS — The more you can do as an NFL Draft hopeful, the more likely it is a team will take a chance on you, especially early on.
That should be the case next month for Arizona State wide receiver and return man Brandon Aiyuk as the 2020 NFL Draft arrives on April 23.
The senior did damage for the Sun Devils in multiple ways in his two years on campus, as both an outside and inside receiver, after the catch, deep downfield, and as a kickoff and punt returner.
Aiyuk's college career began as a junior college prospect in 2016 at Sierra College. He was a big-time playmaker at that level of competition, being named a First-Team California Community College All-American as an All-Purpose athlete by the Football Coaches Association, as well as Region I First Team All-American honors as a wide receiver and all-purpose player.
Outgrowing the JuCo level, Aiyuk became a highly sought-after transfer, choosing Arizona State to round out the final two years of his collegiate career.
When arriving in Tempe in 2018, Aiyuk was behind former first-round draft pick N'Keal Harry on the depth chart, so he made his initial impact as a return specialist until he got his chance the following year.
When Harry left for the NFL after that season, Aiyuk took over and became the man in Arizona State's passing game. He really came onto the scene in 2019, earning First-Team All-Pac-12 honors as both a wide receiver and a return specialist. He caught 65 passes for 1,192 yards (18.3 avg.) and eight touchdowns as well as 14 kickoff returns for 446 yards (31.9 avg.) and 14 punt returns for 226 yards (16.1 avg.) and a score.
By season's end, he ranked first in the Pac-12 in both punt return and kickoff return average as well as second in receiving yards and third in yards per catch.
In his two seasons, Aiyuk totaled 98 receptions for 1,666 yards (17.0 avg.) and 11 TD in two seasons to go with 28 kickoff returns for 760 yards (27.1 avg.) and 25 punt returns for 293 yards (11.7 avg.) and one touchdown as a return man.
College won't be the end of Aiyuk's run, though. He's an incredibly enticing prospect for today's NFL.
His build is pretty average at 5'11-5/8" and 205 pounds, but he also has 33-1/2" arms and an 80-inch wingspan. At the Scouting Combine, he was one of only seven wide receivers with at least an 80-inch wingspan, which equates to 6'8".
"Playing above the rim. I measured in at 5-11, so I think the wingspan helps that out," Aiyuk told reporters at the Combine when asked how his wide wingspan helps him. "People have questions about getting able to go get the jump balls, but with the vertical of mine and my wingspan, I feel like it's no different than somebody being 6-3, 6-4."
Continuing with his Combine results, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.50 seconds and posted a vertical jump of 40.0 inches (tied-fifth among receivers) and a broad jump of 128.0 inches (tied-sixth among receivers).