Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Niners Rookie Deebo Samuel Emerging as Key Target
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
November 21, 2019

Share

SANTA CLARA — Deebo Samuel has emerged as a go-to receiver for the San Francisco 49ers at just the right time.

“He’s fearless. Deebo Samuel is fearless. He’ll run through any catch. You get some receivers running across the middle and they’re looking for who’s going to him them. Deebo is looking for who he’s going to hit. That’s a much different mentality than most people.” — Richard Sherman
Samuel has shaken off a slow start to his rookie season by elevating his game the past two weeks when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been mostly without his top two targets, with tight end George Kittle sidelined by injuries and Emmanuel Sanders limited by injured ribs.
With 16 catches for 246 yards over the past two weeks, Samuel is proving why the Niners made him the third receiver selected in April’s draft.
“He’s fearless,” teammate Richard Sherman said. “Deebo Samuel is fearless. He’ll run through any catch. You get some receivers running across the middle and they’re looking for who’s going to him them. Deebo is looking for who he’s going to hit. That’s a much different mentality than most people.”
That toughness was a big reason why the Niners were so excited to get Samuel in the draft, with general manager John Lynch saying he had the mentality of a running back rather than a receiver.
That has been evident so far this year as no receiver with more than 50 targets has averaged more yards after the catch than Samuel’s 7.3 this season, according to SportsInfo Solutions.

Samuel Took a Little Bit of Time to Find His Game This Year

“It is just a mentality I always played with growing up,” Samuel said. “The mentality that not one guy is going to bring me down.”
Samuel took a little bit of time to find his game this year but now leads all rookies with 38 catches on the season and ranks fourth with 473 yards receiving.
Samuel had five catches just once in San Francisco’s first eight games and only topped 50 yards once as well, recording five catches for 86 yards in Week 2 against Cincinnati.
But that all started to change two weeks ago against the Seahawks, when Samuel was given a much bigger role with Kittle sidelined by injuries to his knee and ankle and Sanders knocked out of the game early with the rib injury.
Sanders had eight catches for 112 yards in that overtime loss and then followed up the next week against Arizona with eight catches for 134 yards as Kittle once again was sidelined and Sanders limited.
Samuel became the first 49ers rookie since the merger to post back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. He joined Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and Dwight Clark as the only San Francisco wideouts since the merger to have two straight games with at least eight catches and 100 yards.

Photo of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) celebrates after scoring against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)

Samuel Is Quickly Earning the Trust of His Quarterback as Well

“The game has not been too big for Deebo at all,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He’s had to learn a lot on the run through each game, just the stamina it takes to play throughout an NFL game, how different those 65 plays are in the NFL compared to usually those 90 in college just down in and down out. Deebo gets better each week, he studies his game plan as hard as anyone in our building and I think he just gets more confidence with the more opportunities he gets. Just the physicality he’s played with has been a lot for us to rely on, especially for a rookie throughout this time.”

“He’s one of those guys you love to have in your foxhole. He just gets banged up out there, keeps coming back, doesn’t even question it or anything. He’s a fighter, man. You love having guys like that on your team.” quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
Samuel is quickly earning the trust of his quarterback as well, for the toughness he showed in coming back from a shoulder injury sustained on a circus catch by the sideline and his ability to make plays consistently. He missed practice with the shoulder injury Wednesday, but the team is hopeful he will be able to play this week against Green Bay.
“He’s one of those guys you love to have in your foxhole,” Garoppolo said. “He just gets banged up out there, keeps coming back, doesn’t even question it or anything. He’s a fighter, man. You love having guys like that on your team.”
NOTES: Kittle (knee, ankle), Sanders (ribs), RB Matt Breida (ankle), DE Dee Ford (quadriceps, hamstring), K Robbie Gould (right quadriceps), T Joe Staley (finger) all missed practice Wednesday. … DT D.J. Jones (groin) and RB Raheem Mostert (knee) were limited. … LB Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion) was a full participant in practice after missing last week’s game.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

DON'T MISS

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

DON'T MISS

Dollar Doubts Dominate Gathering of Global Economic Leaders

DON'T MISS

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

DON'T MISS

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

DON'T MISS

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

DON'T MISS

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

DON'T MISS

Israeli Airstrike Kills 10 People, Half of Them Children

DON'T MISS

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

DON'T MISS

Israel’s AI Experiments in the War in Gaza Raise Ethical Concerns

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

UP NEXT

Paul Skenes Strikes Out 9, Wins Duel With Yamamoto in Pirates’ Victory Over Dodgers

UP NEXT

Eovaldi Outlasts Verlander as Rangers Beat Giants

UP NEXT

Rams Take Oregon Tight End Terrance Ferguson in Second Round After Trading Out of First

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders Snubbed in NFL Draft’s Round 1 but Leads List of Top Available Players for Day 2

UP NEXT

Chargers Choose North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton in Effort to Boost Offense

UP NEXT

49ers Draft Georgia Edge Rusher Mykel Williams With the No. 11 Pick in the NFL Draft

UP NEXT

Yastrzemski and Chapman Homers Help Giants Rally Past the Brewers

UP NEXT

Chicago Bears Great Steve McMichael Dies at 67 After Battle With ALS

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

3 hours ago

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

3 hours ago

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

6 hours ago

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

7 hours ago

Israeli Airstrike Kills 10 People, Half of Them Children

7 hours ago

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

7 hours ago

Israel’s AI Experiments in the War in Gaza Raise Ethical Concerns

7 hours ago

Paul Skenes Strikes Out 9, Wins Duel With Yamamoto in Pirates’ Victory Over Dodgers

7 hours ago

Eovaldi Outlasts Verlander as Rangers Beat Giants

7 hours ago

Rams Take Oregon Tight End Terrance Ferguson in Second Round After Trading Out of First

8 hours ago

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

President Donald Trump said Saturday that Russia’s escalating bombardment of Ukraine had left him concerned that Russia did not want to end ...

2 hours ago

2 hours ago

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

2 hours ago

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

2 hours ago

Dollar Doubts Dominate Gathering of Global Economic Leaders

3 hours ago

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

3 hours ago

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

6 hours ago

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

7 hours ago

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

7 hours ago

Israeli Airstrike Kills 10 People, Half of Them Children

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend