—A burner with immediate skills as a returner and receiver. Able to work outside or from the slot thanks to his elite acceleration and excellent route-running ability.
—Excellent speed and agility; able to get into the open field smoothly. Makes start-stops with no issues.
—Thick-bodied player who looks more like a running back at 5'11", 214 pounds. Won't have any issues taking on tacklers or beating press coverage with strength.
—Huge hands (10") for a shorter player, and that shows with limited drops and his excellent ability to make difficult grabs away from his frame.
—One of the best route-runners in the 2019 draft class. Uses a variety of moves, including speed, quick feet, loose hips and jukes to get defenders off his route.
—A yards-after-catch king. Can make people miss, break tackles and has amazing suddenness.
WEAKNESSES
—History of injuries with two hamstring issues (2015, 2016) and a broken leg (2017), which limited him to 30 games in four years.
—Doesn't attack 50-50 balls and is more of an on-the-ground receiver.
—Shorter arms (31⅜") make for a small catch radius.
—Has a maxed-out frame at 214 pounds and shows tightness in his lower body and his shoulders from being bulky.
—Tends to beat up zone coverage and can be locked up in phase.
Injury concerns might have been the only thing keeping Deebo Samuel down on the board before the San Francisco 49ers took him with the No. 36 overall pick. He's a fantastic yards-after-catch player; a team leader, according to coaches at South Carolina; and brings production and traits as a receiver and return man. If he can stay healthy, he's primed for a great NFL career.
GRADE: 6.95 (ROUND 2 — ROOKIE IMPACT/FUTURE STARTER)
PRO COMPARISON: Stefon Diggs
