With The First Pick
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5 best team/prospect fits of 2020 NFL Draft; Chiefs, 49ers lead the way

By Nicholas McGee

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Clyde Edwards-Helaire #22 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The LSU Tigers topped the Clemson Tigers, 42-25. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Clyde Edwards-Helaire #22 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The LSU Tigers topped the Clemson Tigers, 42-25. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 15: Brandon Aiyuk #2 of the Arizona State Sun Devils scores a touchdown in the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at SDCCU Stadium on September 15, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 15: Brandon Aiyuk #2 of the Arizona State Sun Devils scores a touchdown in the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at SDCCU Stadium on September 15, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images) /

The 2020 NFL Draft saw the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers select players who are excellent fits for their respective teams in the first round.

The draft is not just about finding the best players, it is also about picking the prospects who can fit seamlessly into the roster and the offensive or defensive system. The 2020 NFL Draft had a ton of those, and narrowing it down to five was a difficult task.

There is an argument that teams should build the system around the players, but it is easier for a rookie to adapt to life in the NFL if they fit into the scheme and can immediately have a defined role on the roster.

Last season’s Super Bowl teams understood this and selected offensive players who are ideal fits and can instantly contribute in their maiden seasons.

Here we assess those picks and the other top team fits from the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Brandon Aiyuk – San Francisco 49ers

Eyebrows may have been raised when the 49ers jumped up from 31 to 25 to take Arizona State star Brandon Aiyuk when the expectation had been they would trade down from that spot to acquire more capital.

Aiyuk has just one season of elite production to his name and is coming off core muscle surgery. However, he could not have landed in a better offense in which to maximize his talents and produce year one.

The junior college transfer averaged 10.9 yards after the catch in 2019, making him a perfect match for a system that relies on receivers who excel with the ball in their hands.

Aiyuk displays tremendous elusiveness in the open field and has the speed to be a legitimate home-run hitter. He ran the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine in 4.5 seconds but that time was likely affected by his core muscle injury.

The primary criticism against Aiyuk is that he did not run a complex route tree in college, with screens, slants, and go routes his primary focus. Yet Aiyuk displayed nuance as a route-runner and found creative ways to generate separation with his release.

San Francisco’s passing game is one where he will be asked to run a lot of slants and, working under head coach Kyle Shanahan and wide receivers coach Wes Welker, he is in the perfect environment to improve further as a route-runner and quickly develop into a go-to receiver for Jimmy Garoppolo.

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