The Case for Brandon Aiyuk (Thread)

I know people are scared of Brandon Aiyuk for being a 1 year wonder who is also a JUCO transfer who couldn't out produce N'Keal Harry in there 1 year together. While all valid reasons on the surface here's why we shouldn't worry about them so much.

While JUCO transfers rarely pan out very few get taken in the 1st round. The last one I can think of is Kevin White but that's where the comparison ends.

Using the @breakout_finder app we can while they both brokeout as 21year old seniors Aiyuk was more productive (40.6% DR), efficient (18.3 YPR) and dynamic (returning both punts and kicks)

Aiyuk also has a breakout rating of 41.8 compared to White's 13.7.

In addition, Lynch and Shanahan made it a priority to find their Alpha WR as this was called out as a need by them - what does that say/mean for Deebo? That's for another day - and they selected Aiyuk over Lamb

Lynch and Shanahan not only drafted Aiyuk with better draft capital than every other WR they've ever drafted in their tenure but they graded Aiyuk higher than N'Keal Harry, whom was their #1 target last year before the Patriots sniped them

While Aiyuk was unable to unseat Harry as the #1 option in 2018, it's entirely his fault. Harry broke-out they year prior and was already entrenched as the #1 WR at ASU before Aiyuk even stepped foot on campus.

While it would've been an amazing feat for Aiyuk to become the #1 WR at ASU in 2018 he still managed to climb the ladder by overtaking Kyle Williams who was the #2 in 2017 and was also equally as efficient as Harry.

YPR: 14.4 (Aiyuk) v. 14.9 (Harry)

One last thing on the Aiyuk/White comparison. Much like The Breakout Finder results, Brandon Aiyuk rated higher than Kevin White both pre-draft and post-draft in the PSI Model.

#PSI2020