Round 2: Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk
6-0, 208 – Senior – 4.50

PREVIOUS PICK: Houston OT Josh Jones

After the Buccaneers address the tackle position with the selection of Georgia’s Andrew Thomas in the first round, the second round offers up a bit of a surprise selection in Aiyuk, a speedy receiver from Arizona State. Tampa Bay needs a No. 3 receiver for Bruce Arians’ three-receiver sets, and lost Breshad Perriman to the New York Jets in free agency.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the Bucs might take a running back in the second round, but the team won’t reach for one just to fill a need. It has to be the right running back with a grade worthy of selecting with the 45th overall pick. There is a chance that Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, Georgia’s D’Andre Swift, Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins and LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire are gone by the time Tampa Bay is on the clock in the second round.

Whether that scenario unfolds or not, wide receiver became a priority with Perriman’s departure. The Bucs address that position by selecting Aiyuk, a perfect fit in the team’s vertical passing attack.

At 6-foot, 208, Aiyuk (pronounced EYE-yook) is an incredible athlete with a 40-inch vertical and a 10-foot-6-inch broad jump, which were some of the best numbers for wide receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine. Aiyuk missed the Senior Bowl due to a groin injury, and that injury likely contributed to him running a slower than expected 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. The game film indicates that Aiyuk likely has 4.4 speed.

Aiyuk was a JUCO transfer from Sierra College where he recorded 89 receptions for 1,533 yards and 19 touchdowns combined as a freshman and a sophomore. He also had two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a punt return score in 2017 for the Wolverines before joining the Sun Devils in 2018.

Playing second fiddle to N’Keal Harry during his first year at Arizona State, Aiyuk became the featured receiver last year during his senior campaign and more than doubled his production. Aiyuk had seven 100-yard games for the Sun Devils, including five last year as a senior.

Aiyuk’s Arizona State Career Receiving Stats
2018: 33 rec. for 474 yards (14.4 avg.), 3 TDs
2019: 65 rec. for 1,192 yards (18.3 avg.), 8 TDs

Aiyuk had a career-high 10 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown against Oregon State (17.3 avg.) last year, and exploded for 196 yards and three touchdowns on seven catches (28 avg.) against Washington State. Yet against Utah, the PAC-12’s toughest pass defense, Aiyuk was held to just one catch for seven yards, which was his worst game of the season. However, he did have six catches for 101 yards versus the Utes in 2018.

While not the most physical receiver, Aiyuk wins with instant acceleration off the line of scrimmage and a second gear down field. He has good hands and does a good job tracking the deep ball. He’s a slightly smaller, yet more explosive version of Godwin and would be an ideal fit in Arians’ offense, especially with his 18.3 yards per catch average as a senior.

Aiyuk can also help Tampa Bay’s special teams by competing with T.J. Logan for the return specialist duties. Aiyuk averaged 27 yards per kick return, including a 31.9-yard average last year, in addition to averaging 16.1 yards per punt return and a touchdown in 2019.

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