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Brandon Aiyuk's journey: From junior college in Rocklin to the Super Bowl

Brandon Aiyuk's journey: From junior college in Rocklin to the Super Bowl
CHANGER IN THE SUPER BOWL. HE JUST MADE PLAYS EVERY DAY IN PRACTICE, LONG BEFORE BRANDON AIYUK BECAME A 40 NINER, HE LEFT HIS MARK AT SIERRA COLLEGE IN ROCKLIN. HE NEVER MISSED. HE WAS NEVER LATE TO A SINGLE DAY OF PRACTICE, A MEETING IN TWO YEARS. HEAD COACH BEN NOONAN SAYS. THE WIDE RECEIVER FROM RENO WAS OOZING WITH UNREFINED TALENT. HE WAS A FRAIL, SKINNY KID, YOU KNOW, HAD THE REAL BROAD SHOULDERS AND THE LONG ARMS, BUT NO DEVELOPMENT. I DON’T THINK HE WAS THINKING RIGHT AWAY, I’M GOING BIG TIME, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT WAS JUST A GRADUAL PROCESS. OF GROWTH WHERE HE JUST REALIZED, HOLY, HOLY COW, I’M PRETTY GOOD AT THIS. AIYUK LEFT SIERRA FOR ARIZONA STATE. HE ENDED UP BEING DRAFTED IN THE FIRST ROUND BY SAN FRANCISCO WHEN THEY MOVED UP A FEW FEW SPOTS IN THE DRAFT. I TURNED TO MY SON BECAUSE WE WERE WATCHING ON THE COUCH. I SAID, THEY’RE GOING TO PICK BRANDON. AND WHEN THEY DRAFTED HIM, I MEAN, I JUST LEAPED OFF THE COUCH. WE’RE HIGH FIVE AND GOING CRAZY AND GOING CRAZY BECAUSE COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES HAVE FAVORED NFL TEAMS JUST LIKE YOU OR I. I HAVEN’T MISSED A 40 NINERS GAME SINCE I WAS YOUNG. REPORTER FOR NOONAN. IT’S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. I’LL BE WATCHING 40 NINER GAMES, BUT NO MATTER WHAT. BUT WHEN BRANDON’S PLAYING, FOR ME, IT’S JUST AN ADDED EXTRA, YOU KNOW, LIKE I’M DIALED IN EVERY SNAP, EVERY PLAY OF SUNDAYS. AND I’M NOT A PROUD DAD MOMENT. BUT I LEFT MY SON’S FLAG FOOTBALL GAME EARLY LAST WEEK TO MAKE SURE I WAS THERE FOR KICKOFF, LEFT TO SEE HIS TEAM AND HIS FAVORITE PLAYER ON THAT TEAM MAKE IT TO THE SPORT’S BIGGEST GAME. SO THIS SUNDAY IT’S STILL UP IN THE AIR. I GOT A REALLY GOOD OPTION TO GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF GOOD FOOD, YOU KNOW, OR I CAN SIT BY MYSELF AND THE MAN CA
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Brandon Aiyuk's journey: From junior college in Rocklin to the Super Bowl
San Francisco fans are hoping Brandon Aiyuk has a big game on Sunday. The wide receiver is a big weapon on offense and has been since his days in college.Long before Aiyuk became a 49er he left his mark at Sierra College in Rocklin."He just made plays every day in practice," said Sierra College Football Coach Ben Noonan."He never missed or was late to a single day of practice in two years." Noonan said the wide receiver from Reno was oozing with unrefined talent."He was a frail skinny kid,” Noonan said. “He had the real broad shoulders and the long arms, but no development. I don't think he was thinking right away that was going to big time. It was a gradual process and growth.”| MORE | 49ers' Armstead receives high praise from his former Pleasant Grove coachAiyuk left Sierra for Arizona State. He'd end up being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by San Francisco."When they moved up a few spots in the draft I turned to my son and I said they are going to pick Brandon,” Noonan added. "When they drafted him, I just leaped off the couch. We were going crazy."Going crazy because even a college football coach has a favorite NFL team.| MORE | Quest For 6: Daily updates on the Super Bowl LVIII experience in Las Vegas"I haven't missed a 49er game since I was young," Noonan laughed.For Noonan, it is the best of both worlds."I'll be watching 49er games no matter what, but when Brandon's playing for them it's just an added bonus,” Noonan said. “I'm dialed in every snap and every play of Sundays.”

San Francisco fans are hoping Brandon Aiyuk has a big game on Sunday. The wide receiver is a big weapon on offense and has been since his days in college.

Long before Aiyuk became a 49er he left his mark at Sierra College in Rocklin.

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"He just made plays every day in practice," said Sierra College Football Coach Ben Noonan."He never missed or was late to a single day of practice in two years."

Noonan said the wide receiver from Reno was oozing with unrefined talent.

"He was a frail skinny kid,” Noonan said. “He had the real broad shoulders and the long arms, but no development. I don't think he was thinking right away that was going to big time. It was a gradual process and growth.”

| MORE | 49ers' Armstead receives high praise from his former Pleasant Grove coach

Aiyuk left Sierra for Arizona State. He'd end up being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by San Francisco.

"When they moved up a few spots in the draft I turned to my son and I said they are going to pick Brandon,” Noonan added. "When they drafted him, I just leaped off the couch. We were going crazy."

Going crazy because even a college football coach has a favorite NFL team.

| MORE | Quest For 6: Daily updates on the Super Bowl LVIII experience in Las Vegas

"I haven't missed a 49er game since I was young," Noonan laughed.

For Noonan, it is the best of both worlds.

"I'll be watching 49er games no matter what, but when Brandon's playing for them it's just an added bonus,” Noonan said. “I'm dialed in every snap and every play of Sundays.”