Over the next few days, I’ll be previewing the best 49ers training camp battles for 2020. Previously, I broke the battle to be starting cornerback # 2: Emmanuel Moseley vs. Ahkello Witherspoon. Now, I’m breaking down the battle to be the starting # 2 wide receiver:
Brandon Aiyuk vs. Jalen Hurd
This competition will take place because Emmanuel Sanders signed with the Saints and Deebo Samuel broke his foot and will most likely miss the first month of the season.
They were the 49ers two wide receivers starting last season. This season, Kendrick Bourne will likely be one of the two Week 1 starters, as he was their No.3 receiver last year. But who will be the other starter – Aiyuk the rookie or Hurd the sophomore?
Hurd has many advantages as this is his second year in Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system. Hurd didn’t play last season – he broke his back during training camp and entered the reserve injured – but he’s been learning the system since May 2019. He should know a lot better than Aiyuk, who learned the offensive. by videoconference for the last three months only.
Additionally, Hurd has a lot more gaming experience than Aiyuk. Hurd started 40 games in college – 29 as a running back in the SEC and 11 as a wide receiver in the Big 12. Aiyuk started just 15 games – all in Pac 12. He was transferred to Arizona State from Sierra College, a community college in Rocklin, California.
There is a real possibility that Aiyuk just isn’t ready to start Week 1 of his rookie season. And if Hurd’s back has fully recovered, he’ll almost certainly be ready to go.
But that doesn’t mean Hurd will win this competition.
Whoever starts against Bourne is likely to be quick, as Bourne is one of the slowest receivers on the team and Shanahan appreciates speed more than most coaches. And Aiyuk is faster than Hurd.
But that’s not the main reason Aiyuk will almost certainly start instead of Hurd Week 1.
Aiyuk is the favorite to win this competition because the 49ers traded to draft him in the first round. And Hurd was just a third-round pick – not about the same investment.
In most teams, the position of the draft does not affect the depth graph. The GM chooses the players, and the coaching staff play the best regardless of their draft locations. A real meritocracy.
But on the 49ers, the coaches primarily spot and choose the players. Which means Shanahan and wide receivers coach Wes Welker picked Aiyuk and pleaded for John Lynch to trade for him. So Shanahan and Welker already love Aiyuk.
If they don’t start Aiyuk’s week 1, if they bury him on the depth board instead, they’ll question their own ability to judge talents and spot players. This means that they will be open to criticism. Nobody likes to do that.
So the 49ers’ coaching staff will likely start Aiyuk in the opener of the regular season primarily to protect their perceived staffing expertise. Same reason why running back Tevin Coleman will likely start Week 1, even though the whole world knows Raheem Mostert is better.
Nothing against Aiyuk – he could blow up expectations. But ready or not, here it is.
