New Miami wide receivers coach Rob Likens had a player chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft for the second straight year. The San Francisco 49ers chose WR Brandon Aiyuk from Arizona State 25th overall on Thursday night.
For the second consecutive year, new Miami Hurricanes wide receivers coach Rob Likens, formerly the offensive coordinator and WR coach at Arizona State had a former player chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft. Brandon Aiyuk was selected by the San Francisco 49ers 25th overall on Thursday night.
Aiyuk follows N’Keal Harry who barely snuck into the first round of the NFL Draft in 2019 when he was chosen 32nd overall by the New England Patriots. Aiyuk broke out after a solid 2018 season when he signed with Arizona State as a junior college transfer.
With Harry in the NFL, Aiyuk had 65 receptions for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns. Harry put up huge numbers for ASU all three of his seasons in Tempe. Harry finished third all-time in Arizona State history with 213 receptions and 2,889 and fifth with 22 TD receptions.
The two players ahead of Harry on the Arizona State receiving list both played four seasons in Tempe. Likens developed Aiyuk into a first-round pick. Aiyuk was a three-star signee and the 1,720 ranked player coming out of junior college when he joined Arizona State.
Many schools will talk about it, here at Miami we ARE about it! #TheU IS WRU!! #DBS pic.twitter.com/EAtCP2k3xA
— ROB LIKENS (@CoachRobLikens) April 21, 2020
Harry was more highly regarded when he signed with ASU coming out of high school in 2016 from nearby Chandler High School. Harry was the 53rd ranked player overall, seventh-ranked WR and top-ranked player in Arizona. Harry was not involved much in the passing game as a rookie in 2019 with New England.
In Tom Brady’s last season with the Patriots, Harry had 12 receptions for 105 yards and two TDs. The New England passing game will devolve post-Brady. In an interview with Brad Cesmat on Sports 360 in Phoenix, Likens spoke about Harry and also discussed taking the WR coaching job with Miami.
Rob Likens turned down offers to remain an offensive coordinator to join the Miami staff to work with new Hurricanes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and head coach Manny Diaz. Likens is excited to work for a Miami program he said he thought about working for since he was an assistant at Temple from 1998-2003.
The Hurricanes and Owls were both in the Big East during that era and will begin the 2020 season against each other at Hard Rock Stadium. Likens praised Diaz. Likens joined the Miami staff because he stated that being in a virtual fox hole with Diaz was appealing
Diaz is a charismatic coach who made the changes Miami needed on offense during the offseason. Likens, Lashlee and new offensive line coach Garin Justice, the three new hires on the offensive coaching staff, all have experience as offensive coordinators.