Positional ranking: #7
Big Board ranking: #49
Overview
Position: WR
College: South Carolina
Class: Senior (RS)
Age: 23
Measurables
Height: 5’11 1/4″
Weight: 214 lbs.
Arm length: 31 3/8”
Hand size: 10”
Athletic testing
40-yard dash: 4.48 sec.
Vertical jump: 39.0”
Broad jump: 122.0”
Bench press: 15 reps
3-cone drill: 7.03 sec.
Short shuttle: 4.14 sec.
Strengths
Crisp route runner. Quick and explosive. Reliable underneath target in a solid frame. Accelerates immediately after the catch. Hands are big and soft. Comfortable catching passes over the middle. Excellent hand-eye coordination. Can get up and time his jump to high point the ball. Second gear allows him to stack cornerbacks and get downfield. Tough and slippery with the ball in his hands. Has above-average overall speed to break big plays. Great contact balance. Confident and competitive. Worked both outside and in the slot. Offers tremendous value as a kick returner with four touchdowns at South Carolina.
Weaknesses
Susceptible to focus drops. Limited catch radius. Needs to be much more consistent as a blocker. Overall consistency as a route runner needs improvement.
NFL comparison
Anthony Miller – There are several other comparisons that could fit for Deebo Samuel, but I’m going with Miller, who is an ultra-competitive receiver with above-average athleticism and high upside as a route runner.
Conclusion
Overall, Deebo Samuel has the skillset to be a top target for an NFL passing attack if he can clean some things up and be more consistent, but for the most part, his demeanor should make teams optimistic that he will reach his potential. I think Samuel is worth considering as a top-50 pick in a strong class.
I could’ve sworn he was way bigger than Miller. Both play big I guess.
He does play bigger than that.