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Early candidate for play of the year? Rookie Brandon Aiyuk has a crazy hurdle for a 49ers TD

There’s good reason the San Francisco 49ers were excited to select receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the first round of this year’s NFL draft.

Aiyuk is a fantastic athlete. If people didn’t know that, they found out on one play in “Sunday Night Football.”

Aiyuk broke a long play down the sideline, darting through players to pick up a first down and more. Aiyuk had one Philadelphia Eagles defender between him and the end zone. At that point, it was a good play. It was about to become great.

Aiyuk sized up Eagles safety Marcus Epps coming at him and decided to go high hurdles. Epps lunged for the tackle and came up with nothing but air. Aiyuk hurdled right over him and barely broke stride on his way to the end zone for a touchdown.

It was an improbable score in many ways.

We’re used to seeing great athletic feats in the NFL each week. Even among those, Aiyuk’s leap is an easy early candidate for the play of the year.

Brandon Aiyuk hurdles into the end zone.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk jumps past Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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