49ers 2019 NFL Draft: What the Niners are getting with Deebo Samuel

The San Francisco 49ers picked up an awfully talented wide receiver in South Carolina’s Deebo Samuel during the 2019 NFL Draft. What does he have to offer the offense?

While South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel might be the San Francisco 49ers‘ best prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft, one could make the argument South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel was the team’s best pure pick.

Taken at No. 36 overall, Samuel’s path the Niners appears to have been predestined.

“Me and Coach [Kyle] Shanahan and [general manager] John Lynch connected well there,” Samuel said, when asked of his meeting with 49ers brass at the 2019 Senior Bowl, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan. “I kind of knew that if I was there around this time that they’d probably be calling my phone. It’s just kind of a feeling that I had.”

Samuel checks off a lot of boxes for Shanahan, too. While the wide receiver is only 5-foot-11 and not apparently solving San Francisco’s red-zone woes on the surface, Samuel’s footwork in the red zone is pretty commendable.

Just take a look at these red-zone-drill clips of Samuel from the Senior Bowl:

Samuel’s footwork and immediate-separation abilities should help negate a lot of the size concerns some may have.

And it isn’t as if he lacks physicality, either.

This, per NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

"Tyshun “Deebo” Samuel lives up to his nickname (it comes from a tough guy in the movie “Friday”) and plays each game like he’s stepping into an alley fight. While Samuel is tough and competitive, he lacks suddenness and might need scheme help with motion and bunch formations to help free him against NFL man coverage. He is a gamer who thrives once the ball is in his hands, and he might be able to help a team from the slot if he can stay healthy."

Good thing Shanahan engineers one of the best offensive schemes in the NFL.

That physicality and demeanor allows him to fight for contested passes, too. It’s not a case where Samuel needs to get open before hauling in a pass. He’s more than capable of bringing in 50-50 balls, even when defensive backs have a little bit of a size advantage over him.

“Anquan Boldin and Golden Tate I would say I mark my game after,” Samuel continued. “Great athletes after the catch, know how to get separation and beat man coverage.”

49ers fans should recall Boldin, whose physicality was one of the notable offensive bright spots for San Francisco between 2013 and 2015.

There are some concerns with Samuel, however, including a history of injuries. Highlighting these are multiple hamstring injuries, which could prove to be problematic at the pro level.

Aside from those, however, Samuel appears to be the kind of receiver Shanahan wanted from the outset. And considering San Francisco lacked a 500-yard wide receiver in 2019, Samuel should be able to fill a major role right away.

The two should make for a dynamic pairing this season and beyond.