Kyle Shanahan thought there was no chance the 49ers could add both Javon Kinlaw and Brandon Aiyuk in the 2020 NFL Draft, just a few months after falling in Super Bowl LIV. His dream scenario came to fruition, though, and San Francisco hasn't looked back since.
But did the 49ers give up too much to get Aiyuk? ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder believes so.
Walder wasn't a fan of general manager John Lynch going with Kinlaw over receivers Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, and questions the decision even more after the Aiyuk trade. The 49ers traded three picks -- No. 31, No. 117 and No. 176 -- to the Minnesota Vikings to select the ASU receiver at No. 25.
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To add salt on the wound, Walder says there still was a 59 percent chance Aiyuk would still be available for the 49ers at No. 31 overall, according to ESPN's NFL Draft Predictor.
Lynch and Shanahan weren't willing to take any risks, though. Lynch reportedly moved up to 25 to make sure the Green Bay Packers, who originally had the No. 30 overall pick, wouldn't grab Aiyuk. Green Bay eventually traded up to No. 26 and selected Utah State quarterback Jordan Love.
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In the eyes of San Francisco's GM and coach, adding Aiyuk towards the end of the first round was a steal. Lynch said the 49ers had Aiyuk and Lamb, who went to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 17 overall pick, neck-and-neck as the best receiver in this year's star-studded class.
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Shanahan has gone as far as saying the 49ers considered taking Aiyuk at No. 13 overall and expected him to go somewhere between No. 18 and No. 22.
So while ESPN's NFL Draft Predictor put the odds in favor of the 49ers not even needing to trade up for the former Sun Devil, that clearly wasn't the case when the NFC champions were weighing their options.
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The Vikings used the picks they received from the 49ers to select cornerback Jeff Gladney (No. 31), edge rusher D.J. Wonnum (No. 117) and receiver K.J. Osborn (No. 176). If those three players all have successful careers and Aiyuk is nothing more than mediocre, this trade won't be remembered well for San Francisco's brain trust.
Anything can happen, however, and it's hard to fault the 49ers for jumping at the chance to select on of the top players on their board.