Before the 2019 NFL Draft, I called Deebo Samuel the best wide receiver in the class. It took Samuel some time to work his way into the 49ers rotation full time but there is no question that Samuel is showing signs of becoming superstar. I should rephrase that. It’s only a matter of time until Deebo is a household name in the NFL.
Deebo Samuel is doing something right now that’s so rare in the league. The 2nd round pick out of South Carolina is breaking tackles and creating yards after the catch at the wide receiver position. Samuel leads the NFL in broken tackles with 12 and really has only gotten going over the last 2 weeks. Over the last two weeks, PFF has Samuel charted at 8 explosive plays. That’s tied for the most with Michael Thomas. Samuel ranks 3rd in the NFL in YAC with 7.2 per catch. That’s a super impressive mark for a rookie.
Richard Sherman sums it up pretty well here. Running back playing wide receiver that opens the middle of the field up.
I said this while scouting Samuel. He’s a running back playing receiver. He played there some at South Carolina too. Samuel played receiver, running back, and returned kicks. Hell, he even threw an occasional pass. Samuel is the type of guy you just want to get the ball in his hands. When you do, good things happen. Unlike other gadget players that often flame out of the league, Samuel is an excellent route runner that will keep him in the NFL for a long time.
All Samuel did is cook defenders at the Senior Bowl. Time after time he beat corners with pure route running. Combine that with his athleticism and ability to break defenders and you start to understand how special Samuel can be. I’m not sure you can put a ceiling on his potential yet. Samuel is becoming superstar and will be a trusted target for Jimmy G for a long time.
