SF 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk: 1-to-1
Like Javon Kinlaw, the Niners didn’t use a first-round pick on a wide receiver just to see him fail to make the 53-man roster in Week 1.
Fortunately, Brandon Aiyuk is taking the exact opposite path to the roster than the one taken by the last wide receiver San Francisco selected in Round 1 of an NFL Draft, A.J. Jenkins back in 2012.
Aiyuk dazzled early in training camp, flashing his excellent speed and showing he was much more established a route-runner than what many draft analysts thought he’d be coming out of a relatively simple offensive system at Arizona State.
That bodes well for Aiyuk, especially considering the 49ers’ injury concerns at the position.
Yet Aiyuk also suffered his own hamstring injury, prematurely ending his training camp campaign. The good news is he’s expected back in time for Week 1, yet the lack of much-needed practice cut ultimately cut into his role out of the gate.
As such, Aiyuk might not start early in the regular season. But he’ll still be expected to shoulder a pretty big role right away.