SANTA CLARA >> Brandon Aiyuk delivered a clear message Wednesday, for those who forgot his 1,000-yard emergence last season or those who didn’t witness his fabulous receptions in a sun-splashed practice this last day of May.

“I’m about to take off,” Aiyuk said.

Aiyuk caught a pair of 40-yard passes — one each from Trey Lance and Sam Darnold — to remind everyone of his potential as a No. 1 wide receiver.

That said, he realizes he’s been overshadowed by Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey — and Aiyuk even tweeted in March how he managed to tally 1,000 yards as the “fourth option in a run-first offense.”

“That’s been my whole life. But I feel it’s supposed to be that way,” Aiyuk said of being overlooked. “That’s what keeps me going, that’s what keeps me motivated, keeps me angry, in a sense.”

These organized team activities are mostly a passing camp, and rather than rest on last season’s emergence (78 catches, 1,015 yards, eight touchdowns), Aiyuk’s competitive fire is evident. He noted that after the defense excelled Tuesday, it was the 49ers’ offense’s turn Wednesday.

So it was that Darnold took a first-string snap, faked a handoff, unleashed a 40-yard pass and Aiyuk was there to catch it for a would-be touchdown.

Later on, Lance followed that lead and found Aiyuk in stride on a 40-yard throw down the left sideline against rookie Darrell Luter Jr.’s tight coverage. “I ran the wrong route,” Aiyuk confessed. “I don’t even know who threw it. Trey threw it? Yeah, see, just throw it up.”

Drafted 25th in the 2020 first round, Aiyuk had his 2024 fifth-year option exercised a month ago. General manager John Lynch has said teams inquired about Aiyuk’s availability in a trade. “It’s just a crazy, crazy business so you never know,” said Aiyuk, who was reassured by Lynch and Shanahan he wasn’t going anywhere.

Aiyuk was happy to see Brock Purdy resume “throwing a little bit” on a surgically repaired elbow, adding: “Same old Brock. He’s doing good.”

Here are some other observations from Wednesday’s session:

STRONGER JACKSON >> After fading his rookie season, defensive end Drake Jackson piled 13 pounds of muscle onto his 260-pound frame for a shot at filling the vacant job opposite Nick Bosa on the line. “Instead of being mad or sad being taken out of the game, I figured out things I needed to do to better myself further on,” said Jackson, noting that Bosa’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year consistency was “an eye-opener.”

That involved weightlifting at the facility all offseason, with defensive line coach Kris Kocurek there daily to motivate and challenge him.

“I’ve been hitting numbers I’ve never hit before, or ever tried before. I definitely see myself getting stronger,” Jackson added. “For squat, I just hit 415 (pounds), and, two days ago, I just hit 315 for bench. Now I’m in the ‘three-plate club’ and that is a big thing for me, because my dad used to make fun of me because he could do three (45-pound) plates and I couldn’t. Now I’m in the ‘Three-plate club’ so I’m happy about that, and the four-plate club for squat.”

QUARTERBACK STATS >> Darnold was first up in 11-on-11 drills behind the starting line of (left to right) Jaylon Moore, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford and Colton McKivitiz. Darnold completed 10-of-13 passes overall on the day, including 3-of-3 to Aiyuk and his lone target to Christian McCaffrey. Deommodore Lenoir broke up two passes, and Chris Conley dropped one.

Lance’s outing started rough with converted center Nick Zakelj botching 2-of-3 snaps, the first of which hit Lance’s ankles in the shotgun formation. Lance completed 6-of-12 passes, an ugly stat line attributed mostly to a trio of drops (two by Bell, one by Ty Davis-Price) and pass breakups by Dee Winters and Ambry Thomas.

DEEBO SHOWS >> Wide receiver Deebo Samuel appeared at the voluntary workouts after avoiding last week’s opening of OTAs, as was the case with Ray-Ray McCloud and Talanoa Hufanga. Samuel did conditioning work on the side before observing practice, which included McCloud and Jauan Jennings.

Bosa, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and left tackle Trent Williams remain away from the voluntary sessions, ahead of the mandatory minicamp in two weeks.

FEISTY LENOIR >> Lenoir broke up Darnold’s first pass (to Danny Gray), and he nearly clotheslined Bell as he juggled and dropped a Lance pass. That aggressive play also was evident last week and it seems to further entrench Lenoir as the starter at right cornerback, where he finished last season.

Fellow starter Charvarius Ward continues to work out on the side, doing so Wednesday with Arik Armstead, Dre Greenlaw, Tashaun Gipson Sr., Fred Warner, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Qwuantrezz Knight.