Brandon Aiyuk has produced the type of rookie season that should make 49ers fans excited about his future, but it's too early to say how he compares to the best wide receivers in the league, according to cornerback Richard Sherman.
Aiyuk, who was selected by the 49ers with the second of their two first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, has 50 catches for 660 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games, with two 100-yard performances over his past five outings. His performance is especially impressive considering he's been dealing off-and-on with injuries since training camp and has mostly been catching passes from backup quarterbacks, but Sherman says Aiyuk still has to show he can get the job done over the long term before he can be on a similar level to the league's elite receivers.
"It's consistency," Sherman told reporters Thursday. "The thing about those guys that makes them special is everybody knows the ball is coming to them. Everybody knows that they're the guys who are getting the ball and they're still productive. They still have 10 catches for 150 yards and everybody's game-planning for them. Everybody knows all their moves. They know every route they like to run. They're studying them year-in and year out and they're still productive. So it's hard to really, really gauge that right now."
That said, Sherman thinks Aiyuk has had a successful rookie season and should continue to be on an upward trajectory as his career proceeds.
"I think he's playing fantastic," Sherman said. "He's having a really good rookie season. I expect him to continue that. I expect him to continue to blossom. But it's always hard to really project based off the first year. But he's having a really great first year. I think he should be celebrated and should be recognized."
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh also took some time to speak about Aiyuk on Thursday. Like Sherman, Saleh thinks Aiyuk has a bright future ahead of him if he can continue to take the right steps.
"Obviously I'll be biased and say I love him," Saleh said, per 49ers.com. "His mindset, the way he practices. I think our offensive staff does as good a job as anybody in terms of developing, preparing receivers to play football. His range, his length, his catch radius is off the charts. He hasn't been able to showcase it as much, I'm assuming, but his run after catch is going to be elite.
"I haven't talked to the offensive guys, I don't want to speak for them, but just from a skillset standpoint, I don't know where he is in their eyes, to be honest with you, but I just think he's a really talented player and he's got the entire world at his fingertips. It's just a matter of how much he's going to put in over these last three games, getting into the offseason and prepare to have the best year of his life."
Aiyuk's 660 yards rank 36th in the league, while his 50 catches are the 45th-most in the NFL. His numbers are comparable to Steelers rookie and second-round pick Chase Claypool, who has 50 catches for 664 yards and eight touchdowns over 13 games. The only rookie with more yards and receptions than Aiyuk and Claypool is CeeDee Lamb of the Cowboys, who has 61 catches for 742 yards and four touchdowns. Aiyuk has also made an impact on the ground, carrying the ball five times for 61 yards and two touchdowns.
Aiyuk's performance as a rookie has clearly been one of the bright spots for the 49ers in what has been a disappointing season. The team will head into the offseason with a number of questions to be answered about its roster, but finding an impact player at wide receiver won't be one of them, thanks in large part to the emergence of Aiyuk. He might still be a safe distance from the league's elite, but if he's able to stay healthy from here and see more consistency at quarterback, he might not be for long.
