When he hired Herm Edwards as coach, ASU Football announced that he would adopt an “NFL model,” necessarily saying he would be run as a professional team.
This professional style is starting to bear fruit for the football team and the players.
The Sun Devils are making wonderful progress on the recruiting track and are progressing on the players they send to the NFL, and how well those players are prepared for football.
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan recently praised rookie catcher Brandon Aiyuk and how it’s more complex than other rookies.
“He knows how to work out like a pro,” Shanahan said of Aiyuk, whom his team selected from ASU in the first round. “You can say he comes ready every day. He’s not a guy who needs to be informed to play or how vital it is to be informed of those things. You could say he understood before he got here. That’s why it’s more advanced than many recruits right now.”
Since then, Aiyuk has been held back by an injury, but that doesn’t replace his preparation for the NFL level.
MORE: NFL first-round draft pick in Arizona state football: Brandon Aiyuk joins Sun Devils list
Another ASU rookie, Eno Benjamin, also made a good impression at his first NFL education camp.
Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury recently said he liked what he saw from his team’s seventh-round team.
“I think those of you who probably covered it in Arizona State, it’s kind of a relaxed spirit,” Kingsbury said. “Super productive in Arizona State and has a knack for locating the hole. There’s no doubt about that. We haven’t noticed it too much live …yet it has a concept of the racing game and it’s exciting to see it.” where you can take this. You have to place a contributing role in the panels and you know it, but we like what we’ve noticed so far.”
MORE: ASU NFL: Sun Devils players on the 2020 season roster
In 2017, ASU had a recruited player, kicker Zane Gonzalez.
I had three players decided in 2018, two in 2019 and two in 2020 (Aiyuk and Benjamin).
With N’Keal Harry going to the first circular of the 2019 NFL Draft and Aiyuk going to the first circular in 2020, that gave the Sun Devils consecutive NFL draft picks in the first circular for the first time since 2002 (Levi Jones) and 2003 (Terrell Suggs).
Harry is beginning to draw attention to his camp at the moment with the New England Patriots, some predict he will be in an escape season.
Benjamin gave credit to what he at ASU for facilitating the transition to the NFL.
“I would say that speed is a little faster, but I think Arizona State, Coach Herm and they have done a smart task by helping us practice as professionals and perceive what it’s like to practice as a professional. Benjamin recently told reporters. “That’s why I’d say I adapt very well to the speed of play and the pace.”
By our calculations, there are approximately 20 NFL players who have ASU.
With Jayden Daniels, Frank Darby and other NFL clients lately on the Arizona State roster, that number may increase in the coming seasons.