Brandon Aiyuk’s selection by the 49ers in April’s 2020 NFL Draft seemed to confirm a trend regarding Kyle Shanahan’s offensive personnel: He places an emphasis on the ability to pick up yards after the catch.
George Kittle and Deebo Samuel each helped the 49ers become one of the best offenses in football through an elite ability after the catch, something that both the first-rounder Aiyuk and seventh-round pick Jauan Jennings bring in spades to the Bay Area.
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Aiyuk led the 2020 wide receiver class in YAC, which is why The Ringer's Danny Kelly deems the Arizona State product one of the best team fits from this year’s draft.
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Kittle and Samuel both were among the NFL’s top 15 in YAC last season, as Shanahan’s downfield blocking schemes allowed his most athletic skill players to do what they do best.
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Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was 31st among NFL quarterbacks in average depth of target in 2019, because Shanahan’s offense doesn’t require a signal-caller who just chucks it down the field all game.
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General manager John Lynch has assembled an army of skill players that don’t just have speed, but also the ability to break tackles and make defenders miss in the open field. Lynch and Shanahan have designed the ideal offense around a QB who doesn’t possess the best deep ball in the NFL.
A seemingly complex scheme boils down to a simple concept: Put the ball in the hands of your playmakers and allow them to, you know, make plays.
Aiyuk might just be the piece that truly unlocks this offense’s potential, and leads to a steady increase of big-play touchdowns at Levi’s Stadium.