49ers Select WR Brandon Aiyuk at No. 25

49ers get their wide receiver after all.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk at pick No. 25 in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

So the 49ers ended up addressing the wide receiver position in the first-round after all as most expected. Although, it wasn't one of the top-three prospects that most predicted. 

The 49ers did not wait for Aiyuk to fall. San Francisco traded up to pick No. 25 with the Minnesota Vikings to select him. They moved up from 31 and gave the Vikings picks 117 and 176. 

A bit of a haul for Aiyuk, but for a team with a pressing need at wide receiver, it makes sense. The 49ers trading up from 31 is quite a shock. So many pundits believed that they would trade down from the position to accumulate more day two picks.

Clearly, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch really loved Aiyuk. Not only is he a talented receiver, but he carries special teams value with his ability as a returner. If there is one thing that the 49ers love with their players it is versatility. 

The 49ers now have a projected strong core of three receivers at the position once again. With Emmanuel Sanders now in New Orleans, it made drafting one a top priority. 

So what does the selection of Aiyuk mean for receivers like Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd? Well, these two players have injury concerns, so the 49ers must not be totally sold on their health. Regardless, the 49ers get a good one in Aiyuk to keep the offense strong.


Published
Jose Luis Sanchez III
JOSE LUIS SANCHEZ III

Jose Luis Sanchez III has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily for FanNation since 2019. He started off as the lead publisher for FanNation's All49ers, then switched positions to become the Deputy Editor in 2020. Sanchez writes, edits, and produces videos daily for All49ers. He also co-hosts a show on YouTube with All49ers lead publisher Grant Cohn weekly. Prior to FanNation, Sanchez started his writing career back in 2016 for the school newspaper at Skyline college where he covered all sports team in the Bay Area. Following that from 2017 to 2019, he found a role as a contributor for FanSided's news desk along with their site's Just Blog Baby covering the Las Vegas Raiders and Golden Gate Sports every professional Bay Area sports team. Atop all of that, he was able to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies at San Francisco State University in 2020. Sanchez is committed to ensuring he delivers transparent analysis and straightforward opinions that resonates with readers to get them thinking.