Aiken has gotten off to a strong start this season, making eight catches for 174 yards and a touchdown against Miami (Ohio) in UNC's season opener and hauling in five passes for 91 yards against Syracuse on Saturday.
More impressive than the pure numbers are the circumstances in which Aiken made catches against the Orangemen.
Three of his five catches came on third-and-long, and another came on a second-and-long play. Although Aiken didn't get into the end zone Saturday, two of his catches led to UNC scores.
It seemed like every time quarterback Darian Durant needed someone to bail him out of a tough situation, he turned to Aiken.
Durant said Aiken makes his job "tremendously" easier.
"I mean, come on," Durant said. "The guy can make plays, he can go up there and get the ball; he can make people miss after he catches the ball."
Aiken is a difficult matchup for opposing corners, as Syracuse's Will Hunter learned the hard way. Aiken's six-foot-two, 200-pound frame makes him big enough to muscle around smaller defensive backs, and his speed and jumping ability allow him to track down a wide range of balls.
Hunter and the other Syracuse corners had a hard time covering him one-on-one.
"I was supposed to be lined up on him a couple of times, but he did his thing," Hunter said. "You've got to tilt your hat to the man. He's a good wide receiver."
