4 current SF 49ers who’ll be postseason studs soon
By Peter Panacy
The SF 49ers didn’t make the postseason after their 2020 campaign, but these four players will soon emerge as playoff standouts.
The SF 49ers managed to showcase a good deal of their postseason talent a year ago after their impressive 2019 campaign in which they secured the No. 1 overall seed and made it all the way into the Super Bowl.
During that season’s playoff run, running back Raheem Mostert emerged as a major star in the NFC Championship game, running rampant over the Green Bay Packers while EDGE Nick Bosa made life exceptionally difficult for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Unfortunately, the Niners didn’t make the postseason this year after their injury-riddled 2020 campaign that saw the team go 6-10.
But that doesn’t mean head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad lacks for future postseason standouts.
In the very near future, perhaps as early as next season, these four San Francisco players will cement their own playoff legacy.
No. 4: SF 49ers Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel
Then-rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel made his impact felt during the latter half of 2019, and some of those flashes trickled over into the playoffs.
Especially one of those tailored jet sweeps in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
But Samuel dealt with multiple injuries over the course of 2020, and the lack of a postseason berth meant his efforts this year simply didn’t materialize in the way many hoped they would.
Yet Samuel, now graced with a complementary weapon of equal caliber at the position, could be even more potent his third year in the league. For starters, Samuel’s physicality is what turned him into an up-and-coming star, earning him that nickname, “Deebo,” from his persona of bullying opponents.
The postseason is where that kind of thing needs to happen most.
San Francisco primarily featured its ground game during last season’s playoff run. The next time the SF 49ers get into the dance, it’ll likely be a much heavier dose of the passing attack.
And that means Samuel will wind up being a massive force in due time.