Dallas Cowboys 2019 Draft Profile: Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel

Today we continue our Dallas Cowboys 2019 draft profile series as we take a look at a possible wide receiver option at pick No. 58, Deebo Samuel.

If the Dallas Cowboys are looking to upgrade the wide receiver position with their first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, there may be no better realistic option than Deebo Samuel out of South Carolina. Samuel participated in the Senior Bowl back in February and was very impressive in the practices throughout the week, catching the eye of many scouts.

Samuel continued to help himself at the combine last weekend, running a 4.48 40-yard-dash and posting solid numbers in the three-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle. Throughout the course of his college career, Samuel never put up his numbers stat wise. His best season was his senior year where he caught 62 passes for 882 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also averaged 14.2 yards per catch, showing his big-play ability.

Samuel’s biggest strength is his ability to make something explosive happen when he has the football in his hands, shown by his YAC (yards after catch) stats This talent was put into full display in his kick returning at South Carolina, where he averaged 29 yards per return and added four touchdowns over the course of his career.

Another big strength of Samuel is his route running ability. He would be a guy who could come in straight to the NFL and runs a full route tree, and it would not take much time for him to adapt. He has good but not great speed, but his elusiveness and pure ability to make something big happen with the ball in his hands make up for lack of outstanding speed.

One thing that did plague Samuel at South Carolina was he was not able to stay on the field. The wideout only played in 30 games in his four-year career, and a broken ankle in the 2017 season ended his entire year.

For the Cowboys, if still there at pick No. 58, Samuel would be a perfect fit. He is a guy who can primarily play in the slot, but can move outside if needed, and would provide big-play explosiveness to the Dallas offense. It also may not seem like much, but with the likely departure of gadget player Tavon Austin, Samuel could take over as the teams punt and kick returner and would be a true threat to take it back every time he was back there.

Due to his playmaking ability and just good things happening every time he has the ball in his hands, Deebo Samuel may not make it to pick No. 58. If for some reason he does, Samuel would be an outstanding player for the Dallas Cowboys to spend their top selection in this year’s draft on.