Scouting Report: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State Sun Devils

The Good About Aiyuk

First off Aiyuk has a phenomenal route tree under his belt. He has literally run every route there is to run. Aiyuk runs these routes well. He is most exceptional at running in and out routes. When it comes to speed and quickness he is not the fastest receiver in the draft but he is pretty close. Throughout his time at Arizona State, he returned punts and kicks. He was very good at both and was successful at bringing a few returns back to the house. In most cases, he has a really good release off of the line. It is usually very smooth and he has no issues. Aiyuk can be used in screenplays and he is really effective. He is incredible when the ball is in his hands and he does an outstanding job of getting extra yards after the catch.

The Bad About Aiyuk

Issue number one that stands out to me for Aiyuk is his hands. In the three games that I watched, 26 passes hit his hands and he dropped ten of them. To me, this is an issue. In most games, he was averaging just above a 50% catch rate. This is concerning and it doesn’t look good. Receivers who have a history of dropping passes in the past typically have the same issue in the future. He needs to do a better job of not waiting and letting the ball come to him and just attacking the ball. 

Secondly, I have noticed that he struggles with separation. If he can’t separate from a defender off of his release then usually he doesn’t separate even at the end of his route. This causes him to have to deal with more contested balls than he needs to. Third, he struggles with press-man coverage. When a corner jams him at the line it really affects his ability to get off the line and create the separation he needs. Lastly, he only has one season of solid production.

Pro Comparison

Aiyuk reminds me of Cordarelle Patterson when he came out of Tennessee. Patterson was a deep threat who also was used in special teams. I see a lot of similar traits in these two guys. For the first part of his career, Patterson was used mainly for special teams and sparingly in the offense. Once he worked on some of his issues he was used more in the offense.

Final Thoughts

Overall I think Aiyuk is a 2nd-3rd Rounder for the Draft. He has a lot of qualities that teams would find useful. He can start his career in the NFL as a special teams guy until he works on his receiving abilities. His speed and his big-play ability will do a lot for his draft stock and makes up for the areas where he is a bit raw. Aiyuk will be useful for a team and will have some impact once he comes into the league. He’s not the perfect player but with time he has the capability to be a good wide receiver. 

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