Analysis: WR/RB Curtis Samuel - A Playmaker Who Happens To Be A Speedster; Why He'll Also Make An Immediate Impact

[Saca312]

Curtis Samuel. The play-maker.

Samuel was the engine of the Ohio State offense, separating himself as the most dangerous offensive weapon on the roster. Molding his game after Percy Harven, Samuel played as a standout receiver who could line up in the backfield. 

During his Junior year, Samuel accumulated 865 yards and seven touchdowns on 74 receptions. He ranked second in the conference in all three metrics, and was named a member of the first-team All-Big Ten as a wide receiver. Curtis Samuel is the only player in Ohio State history to finish with 1,000+ yards rushing and 1,000+ yards receiving.

Curtis Samuel's speed and quickness is of another world. He posted an official time of 4.31 seconds in his first attempt of the 40-yard dash, making it the fastest 40 time posted by a Buckeye at the NFL Combine since 1999. 

Even former Buckeye Ted Ginn Jr. didn't match his speed.

The Panthers selected Curtis Samuel with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft. Many NFL fans were shocked and surprised at this pick, as his game is quite similar to Panthers first round pick Christian McCaffrey. However, the Panthers understand Curtis Samuel's going to be a play-maker on their offense in a uniquely different way. 

Dave Gettleman had plenty of glowing words when asked for his thoughts on Samuel:

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"With Curtis (Samuel) we have 'oh my gosh' speed and he’s really a talented kid," general manager Dave Gettleman said. "We feel we’ve really added an offensive playmaker with him.

"He’s shown the ability catch the ball down the field, over his head and all that stuff. He’s got really good quickness in and out of his routes, and he’s got really good inside run skills. He’s got the speed to cross formation, he’s got the speed to go the distance."

The Panthers drafted Samuel knowing he's a play-maker, a speedster, and an impact player. However, questions remain.

What kind of player is Curtis Samuel? Is he really that much different than Christian McCaffrey? What does Curtis Samuel bring to the table with his play?

The answer to these questions can be found in Curtis Samuel's film.

Curtis Samuel - A Slot Receiving Nightmare

Curtis Samuel is a play-maker. He can be used anywhere on the field and be a threat. Whether in the slot, as a runningback, or as a returner, Curtis Samuel knows how to make plays on the field.

However, his true strength lies on his receiving ability.

There's a common misconception among some NFL fans that Curtis Samuel's a runningback who plays some wide-receiver. They assume his strength is him as a runner and that he's not refined enough at the receiver position.

Just take a look at this comment by resident Falcon fan @falconidae:

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Samuel was not a WR in college-there's going to be a transition period for him.

To clear up this fake news, understand Curtis Samuel is a WR who can play RB - not the other way around. Per Pro Football Focus, Samuel had 220 snaps from the backfield, much less than his 425 snaps from the slot. He's more experienced as a wide-receiver than as runningback.

I don't think there will be any "rough" transition period for him.

A savvy route-runner, Curtis Samuel is a threat in the slot. He beats defenders using an arsenal of cuts and moves to get himself open. Once he has the ball in his hands, Samuel will use his quickness and speed to pull away from defenders down the field.

Curtis Samuel is at his best playing down the middle in space. When the opportunity presents itself, Samuel finds a way to get open down the middle more often than not. Using double moves and crisp one-cuts, he finds a way to get himself in space.

For instance, check out the play above. Curtis Samuel motions from the backfield to the slot, lining himself against a defensive back in the process. Realizing the linebacker blitzed, he initiates a clean double move and gets open down the middle with wheels blazing.

The result? A touchdown with the defender lagging behind.

Samuel has the ability to quickly release at the line of scrimmage and getting open fast in the short game. He finds ways to get open and make an impact as a short-yardage receiver. 

On the top play, watch Samuel cut, release, and get himself open at the 50 yard line. Pivoting and turning his body towards the quarterback, Curtis Samuel opens himself as a quick target for a five yard gain. A fluid and quick play.

On the following play, watch Curtis Samuel recognize the linebackers blitzing on a short TD throw and get himself open quickly in space. The QB initiates a quick jump throw to Samuel, resulting in an easy completion and touchdown.

As I've reiterated for a while, Cam Newton hasn't had a receiver like this in his career. I went over a section of that in another post, so I shouldn't need to repeat myself so often. Just know CAR's WRs weren't fit for the short passing game due to their inability to release fast at the LoS + primarily vertical threats, and Curtis Samuel will help fix that.

One interesting fact about Curtis Samuel is how fluid his route-running is. Although he only became a full-time starter his junior year, Samuel's routes look clean and refined. 

On the play above, Curtis Samuel initiates a simple route by adding a jab step with a head fake to it down the middle without losing any speed or momentum. A fluid and quick route that some refined NFL route-runners may have trouble accomplishing.

Some wide-receivers tend to "dance" or "jiggle" in front of a defender before initiating a move, slowing down their momentum and making them more prone to being caught up by a defender. When Curtis Samuel runs his routes, he tends to use one or two simple cuts without losing a step.

That gives him an advantage, as the defender will likely be slower to react to such a move-set. Not many wide-receivers can do this.

Curtis Samuel hasn't had many chances against press coverage. However, he's shown he can handle it really well when the opportunity presents itself.

On the play above, watch as Curtis Samuel faces a corner in press coverage. He initiates a nice release, then "stacks" against the corner and pulls away for a touchdown. A fine way of handling press coverage.

When facing tough competition, Curtis Samuel rises up to the occasion. Against college name-brand defenders (Jabrill Peppers, Jourdan Lewis, etc.), Samuel finds a way to embarrass them.  

On the play above, Samuel begins with a hesitation that stops CB Jourdan Lewis right in his tracks. He uses his hands to keep himself clean and gets himself wide open. The QB overthrows this - as he normally does on a lot of throws - but that doesn't negate Curtis Samuel's skill.

Jourdan Lewis would go on to be a third round pick for the Dallas Cowboys and is expected to be groomed into an impact player soon. Curtis Samuel shows he can go against good competition and feast.

Finally, Curtis Samuel's abilities to get open is unparalleled. Using a large variety of techniques and moves, Curtis Samuel reads his QB and finds a way to make himself useful in the passing game.

On the play above, watch as Curtis Samuel Samuel cuts to the left. As he notices a defender coming out from his right, he drops his hips & weight, hard stops, cuts quickly to the left and work his way outside.

Although it was a non-target, it showed just how well Curtis Samuel strings together a variety of moves to get himself open. Defenders have a hard time covering him due to how much he moves around on the field.

Curtis Samuel is one of the best - if not the best - slot receiver from his draft class. From his route-running that loses no speed, to his ability to get himself open in space, Curtis Samuel is a dangerous weapon to use.

Curtis Samuel - Space Eater, & A Deep Threat

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"With Curtis (Samuel) we have 'oh my gosh' speed" - Dave Gettleman

Curtis Samuel makes big plays when you least expect it. He has this ability to turn simple slants down the middle into breakaway TD runs. Whenever Curtis Samuel enters in space, defenders turn into statues as they sluggishly attempt to keep up with Curtis Samuel's physics-defying speed.

At the combine, Curtis Samuel ran a 4.31 on the 40 yard dash in what would be the second fastest time overall - second only to John Ross. Due to him running after Ross, his spectacular time is often overlooked and forgotten. 

However, his teammates at OSU know he's a speedy specimen. Billy Price - offensive lineman at OSU - gives his thoughts to ESPN below:

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Oh, Curt is a freak. You're not going to catch that man, I can tell you that. I mean, the stuff he does in practice -- the stuff you don't get to see -- is pretty incredible.

Curtis Samuel is at his best when he gets open down the middle in space. He gets deep from the slot and finds a way to give himself a wide-open window in a variety of ways. When going one-on-one against defenders in the middle, Curtis Samuel will usually win the battle and turn it into a big play. His speed allows him to outrun any defender and leave them in the dust.

On the play above, Curtis Samuel gets himself wide open down the middle in space with a defender lagging behind. As Curtis Samuel catches the ball, he bursts through and leaves the defender in the dust. A clear open touchdown won using incredible speed.

With Ted Ginn Jr. eyeing the money (once again) and leaving for the Saints, Cam Newton needs another speedy deep threat. Curtis Samuel provides that option for Cam.

On the play above, watch as Cam Newton heaves down a throw to Ted Ginn Jr. down the middle in a way that allows him to not lose a step. A similar play to what Curtis Samuel ran on the other play above. Whenever a speedster gets open down the middle, Cam has shown he maximizes their impact and speed with how accurate his deep balls are.

Curtis Samuel fits well with Cam.

On the deep ball, Curtis Samuel shows the potential of getting open against outside corners and weave his way near the sidelines. He generally leaves defenders lagging behind as they fail to keep up with Samuel's 4.31 speed. 

On the play above (credit here for all-22 GIF), watch as Curtis Samuel weaves past defenders with other-worldly speed toward the end-zone. Samuel starts off with a nice inside release, then stacks the DB back to stay right on his route. He bursts through to pull away from defenders and avoids contact.

Although this is another example of a blown play by a horrible QB, Samuel still shows his potential as a deep threat. Pairing him with Cam Newton is a nasty combination, and he should only get better with a QB that is actually accurate deep.

Curtis Samuel's really good at tracking the ball and weaving through coverage. He will find a soft spot in any zone and get himself open down deep for the pass.

On the play above, watch as Curtis Samuel weaves his way downfield. He speeds through a path between defenders and finds a way to get open near the edges of the field. Tracking the ball well, Samuel hauls it in deep for a good gain with a decent bit of YAC.

If there were no safety ahead of him, Curtis Samuel would've likely taken the ball to the house. His burst would've allowed him to gain ground and bypass every defender lagging behind him.

Curtis Samuel in space is something no defensive coordinator ever wants to see. When Curtis cuts right in the middle, chances are he'll find a way to get himself wide open. That's never a good thing for a defense.

On the play above, watch Curtis Samuel find his way into space, bursting through and pulling away from defenders. As he catches the ball, Samuel finds himself in the endzone with the closest defender yards away.

It's pretty comical to see how slow Curtis Samuel makes defenders look. His speed, quickness, and ability in space make him a dangerous deep threat. Curtis Samuel is a threat to burst through for the end-zone on any given play.

That's a scary addition for this Panthers offense.

Curtis Samuel - The Reliable Tough Catcher

Curtis Samuel was one of OSU's most reliable weapons. He had a tendency to hold on to the ball with brute strength from another dimension as if it were infused to his body. He rarely drops any balls and has a knack of making clutch plays.

According to CFB Film Room, Samuel's reliability was of another world:

"Curtis Samuel is the last player on the field you'd expect to drop a pass."

Just think about that statement for a moment. Imagine Ginn with a 3.2% drop rate. Now imagine him catching clutch passes, in traffic, and being bulldozed by defenders.

That's only a part of what Samuel brings to the table.

A common theme in Curtis Samuel's repertoire is how well he handles catching balls with harsh contact. He does not falter one bit when a defender bulldozes him on the field with blinding speed and power.

On the two plays shown above, Curtis Samuel makes a brutal catch with a defender right behind him. As he's in the process of catching the ball, the defender comes at a high rate of speed and power, smashing and bashing into Samuel hard.

Yet even under these dire circumstances, Samuel holds onto the ball like a rock. He does not waver one bit and goes down hard. With hard-hitters like Keanu Neal and Deion Jones in the NFC South, it's refreshing to see a guy who can handle all their physicality.

Curtis Samuel is very aware of the events transpiring on the field. He finds ways of keeping himself open and making himself a target. Not only that, but he makes incredibly clutch catches in situations that require it.

In this one example, watch as Curtis Samuel improvises and waits on his scrambling QB to throw the ball at him. He gets himself open in a way the Clemson corner cannot reach him and makes an incredible over-the-sideline catch. Afterwards, he immediately looks to gain a few extra yards with space behind him.

Samuel's very aware of everything that's happening, and his ability to make plays is unlike any other.

One thing that Samuel should work to fix on is timing and catching outside his frame. If Samuel dropped a ball, it was generally an out-of-frame ball that requires the WR to jump/extend outwards to make a play. 

On this overthrow, Curtis Samuel actually had an opportunity to make a play. Had he timed his jump just right, he would've been able to reach the ball over his head and haul it in. Unfortunately, Curtis Samuel mistimes and allows this ball to be turned in as an interception.

Curtis Samuel doesn't usually drop balls, but he needs to work on timing on out of frame throws.

Some argue Samuel's more of a body catcher and can't catch with his hands, but I disagree with that. He has shown on plenty of occasions he can catch with his hands. His only issue is with timing his jumps. Samuel does exceptionally well with using his hands.

On the first (top) play above, watch as Curtis Samuel backpedals and extends out his arms on a catch outside his frame. In this instance, he does time his jump well so that he has a better opportunity of catching, but what I want to point out is how Samuel catches using his hands.

This wasn't a body catch. It was a pure good hands catch and nothing more. Keeping himself in-bounds with his feet (don't worry; he was ruled in), Samuel makes an incredible catch to convert a third down. 

On the second play following, Samuel juggles and manages to catch the ball outside his frame. Not satisfied at just that, Samuel stays aware of what's going on the field, slides off a defender, and extends himself for the first down. 

Full blown effort in everything he does.

During Panther OTAs, plenty of Panther beat writers had good reviews of Samuel's ability to catch outside his frame. I don't think it's as big of an issue as some make it out to be more-so than his ability to time his catch.

Max Henson of Panthers.com gives his observation below:

Samuel can catch using his hands and outside his body when need be. He just needs to learn to time some of his jumps a bit better on a few throws. 

Curtis Samuel is a very reliable receiver. His ability to catch in any clutch situation and through brutal contact makes him a fine weapon to use. 

Curtis Samuel - A Rough, Physical Monster

Once upon a time, there was a 3rd round pick by the name of Steve Smith Sr. Beginning as a short, small punt returner, Smitty put a chip on his shoulder every week, elevating his game to legend status. A sure Hall-Of-Famer, Steve Smith is one of the Panther's best wide receivers to wear 89 and is known as one of the most physical, dominant, and aggressive WRs to play the game.

Curtis Samuel will never be Steve Smith. No one can emulate the chip Smitty had his whole career of being told he's "too short" and "not able to dominate." However, if there is anything you can compare Samuel and Smitty to, it's their aggressiveness and ability to play the game.

Tony Alford - OSU's runningback's coach - has plenty to say on Curtis Samuel's aggressiveness:

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"He's playing at a very high level right now. He does it fast, physical and with a nasty demeanor behind it."

Meyer - OSU's head coach - remembers fondly the first time he saw Samuel had that "it" factor in him on his first day of practice:

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"It was his toughness," Meyer said. "He went in, he was a lead back on a block, and I mean, he just ran right over whoever it was. I remember looking at [strength coach] Mick [Marotti] and just going, 'Whoa.'

"A lot of times, guys with that kind of skill set aren't the toughest guys in the world, and as a result, they don't become much. This guy is a tough guy."

@Jeremy Igo - CarolinaHuddle founder & Panthers photographer/media observer - made a very interesting comparison when watching Samuel's game:

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To my eyes, Samuel has balance and footing similar to a former Panthers receiver that wore number 89. Like 89, Samuel appears to have that strange balance that gives him the advantage over defenders. At times it is like there is an invisible rope, keeping him on his feet.

Panthers corner Teddy Williams learned this first hand today when trying to press Samuel. It was Williams who ended up on the ground, not the rookie.

I don’t know if he can or will produce like 89 did, but the similarities in physical ability are undeniable, at least to my eyes.

As we all know, Igo does not usually make that comparison lightly. What he saw in practice was a replica of the aura Smitty once gave on the field; an aura of dominance, intimidation, and power.

Curtis Samuel is a very physical blocker who's not afraid of letting it out against anyone. He will put forth his best effort at keeping defenders out of plays and showing them who's daddy. His head coach saw it first hand during Samuel's first ever practice, and it showed on his film as well.

On this play, watch as Samuel obliterates the defender across from him. The defender didn't even have a chance to gather his feet as Samuel man-handled and threw the poor guy around like a rag doll. Utterly defeated, the defender lops on the ground in defeat as Curtis Samuel helped pave the way with his massive block.

Just the presence of Curtis Samuel on the field can be intimidating for defenses. His physicality is a trait defenders grow weary of. Samuel puts in full effort in everything he does, and he's not afraid of getting aggressive about it.

On the play above, watch as Curtis Samuel meets a defender bigger in frame than he is and push him hard and aside. He puts enough force to render the defender useless in this play and shoves him towards the sidelines.

The strain and effort he puts in these blocks is very encouraging to see. He's aggressive in whatever role he has on the field.

One of Curtis Samuel's defining traits is his stiff arm. He brings out a nasty strike to pull defenders down or out of his way. Not many are able to handle and avoid his aggressive shove.

On the play above, watch as Curtis uses his strong arm to push down a very heavy defensive lineman as if he were nothing. Completely shutting him down and shoving him to the ground, Samuel displays dominance and releases away for a solid gain.

Very few receivers display the aggressiveness Samuel puts forth on the field everyday.

Curtis Samuel is a very aggressive player. Wherever he is on the field, he puts on a blue collar and gives every play 100%. He'll be giving defensive backs fits in the near future, and may turn out to have a bit of his own version of "Smitty" in him.

Curtis Samuel - The Speedy Runningback

As if Curtis Samuel the receiver isn't amazing enough, Samuel the runningback is just as deadly.

When Curtis Samuel's in the backfield, he looks every part the role of a runningback. From his ability to run between tackles, run in space, his vision, his speed, and his physicality, Samuel's just as much of a threat in the backfield as he is a slot receiver.

During his Junior year at OSU, Samuel averaged 7.9 yards per rush, ranking fifth among players with at least 80 carries in the country. He rushed 97 times for 771 yards and eight touchdowns, which is third on the team in each category.

That's a lot of production as a runner.

Curtis Samuel has very good vision when running with the ball. He's able to react to what the defense gives him and improvise from there.

On the play above, watch what Samuel does on a decent short gain. Text and extras have been added to further explain the action going on. Samuel reads the play, realizing the hole he originally was supposed to go through cave in fast. He reverts to another open lane and heads upfield through there. He tucks in the ball as soon as he realizes contact is about to come upon him.

A lot of things going on in one play showing the intelligence and vision Samuel has.

When running, Samuel does display some of that patience and explosion I love seeing. Like McCaffrey, Samuel will pace himself and look for a lane, then cuts and explodes right through it.

On the play above, Samuel slightly waits and paces himself and notices a huge gap forming. He cuts inside and runs through it immediately. While not as jerky and insane like McCaffrey, Samuel instead shows fluidity and smoothness in his style of running.

Curtis Samuel can read blocks and assess the defense like any other runningback. Another thing he can do is run between the tackles and gain yards after contact. He'll find an open lane and run right through the middle.

In the play shown above, watch as Samuel cuts through out of shotgun through an open lane between the tackles. He has a whole host of defenders ready to greet him but manages to gain a good bit of yardage through contact.

Curtis Samuel's a pretty good runningback if I do say so myself.

One thing Samuel's amazing at is getting out of unfavorable situations. He will cut, jump, pause, and burst out of any dilemmas and turn them into positives through a circus of insane acts.

On the play above, Curtis Samuel brings out his inner Cam Newton and makes magic out of nothing. He stops, cuts, and turns around, stops, sends a blocker in front of him, steps back, speeds up, runs, cuts, and staggers across to set up a perfect 4th and 1 situation OSU desperately needed.

When nothing was there, Samuel created something.

However, Samuel's true bread and butter is his ability to run through space. OSU ran a lot out of shotgun and put Samuel in situations to run in open space through broken plays. The next play occurring two plays after the one shown above proves it.

On the game winner against Michigan in OT, Samuel runs through another one of OSU's signature plays. Using his speed to outrun defenders and get to the edge, Samuel bursts through an open lane and runs right into the endzone.

Samuel ends up winning the game for OSU single-handedly.

When Curtis Samuel enters space, he will find a way to make a big play out of it. Whether it's from the slot or as a runningback, Samuel is deadly in space. 

On the play above, Curtis Samuel shows off his ability to cut and speed right through defenders in space. Much like a potential punt return or kick return play, Samuel finds a way to slither through defenders and take advantage of the space given to him.

The result is a very big play with Samuel speeding far down the field.

Speaking of speed, Curtis Samuel is deadly on sweeps. He turns on the jets and bursts through the edges at maximum speed, leaving stragglers far behind. 

On the play shown above, Samuel motions out of the slot to the backfield (expect to see a lot of these kinds of plays with CMC and Samuel). With that, he gets handed the ball off the shotgun formation where he turns on the jets. Running full speed on the sideline, Samuel hits his ultimate gear and outruns every defender on the field.

The result of the play was a touchdown.

If there's anything I'm concerned about, it's the Panthers ignoring the potential Samuel brings as a runner. @Jeremy Igo made a very concerning observation during OTAs I hope doesn't spell out a limitation to what Samuel's going to do for the offense:

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Second round pick Curtis Samuel has been working exclusively as a wide receiver, putting any thoughts to him splitting time at running back to rest. 

If Samuel is not used at least part time as a runningback on some plays, that's a whole lot of potential wasted right there. Sure, Curtis is an amazing slot receiver and he should focus on that more than his ability as a runningback.

However, they should not ignore the potential Samuel has from the backfield. Shula has to incorporate ways to get Samuel to run on some plays even when a majority of Samuel's snaps come from the slot.

As a runningback, Curtis Samuel makes plays. Whether it's through space, between the tackles, or using his speed, Samuel finds a way to make an impact. His vision and running ability are top-notch, making him a very deadly weapon out of the backfield.

Conclusion

Curtis Samuel is a bonafide play-maker. His ability to play as a slot receiver, deep threat, or as a runningback makes him a swiss army knife the Panthers have to learn to use. He can line up anywhere on the field and make an impact.

Samuel is essentially a Cotchery/Ginn upgrade rolled up into one player with how refined his route running in the slot is along with his speed. His play-making ability and skill to move the chains will be of great use for Cam Newton and the Panthers going forward.

However, what's most intriguing is the mismatches the Panthers can create with Samuel and other tools they have at hand. I went over some of that potential in CMC's thread before, but the options are endless as to what this offense can do.

Just think about this for a moment:

• QB/RB Cam Newton
• TE/WR Greg Olsen
• RB/WR Christian McCaffrey
• WR/RB Curtis Samuel
• Power RB Jonathan Stewart
• Big-Body Possession Receiver Kelvin Benjamin

These guys make up the core of the Panthers offense. All diverse and deadly weapons in their own way and how to use them. Teams can no longer just "contain Cam double Olsen blitz on 3rd down" with all these weapons on the field. A mismatch could be present on every play if everyone is used to their maximum potential.

Curtis Samuel is a play-maker. He's a steal in the 2nd round with the potential and ability he brings. He will make an immediate impact on the Panthers, and he should be a nice addition for Cam Newton.

The potential for this Panthers offense is frightening. It's now up to Shula to use Curtis Samuel and everyone else to their utmost.

**If you want to dig deeper, I made a 40+ GIF thread of Curtis Samuel on twitter. Click the twitter link below and look at the replies to see Samuel's film and my comments**

 

 

 

[Hogmolliesmaht]

I just hope he's getting that hamstring healed up. I also hope he's studying his butt off because you can't create all those mismatches and make those plays unless you know exactly what you're doing. That's not to say I'm worried though. I have plenty of confidence in all of this year's draft picks. I honestly don't think there is a loser in the whole bunch, including Alex Armah.

[Saca312]

52 minutes ago, Hogmolliesmaht said:

I just hope he's getting that hamstring healed up. I also hope he's studying his butt off because you can't create all those mismatches and make those plays unless you know exactly what you're doing. That's not to say I'm worried though. I have plenty of confidence in all of this year's draft picks. I honestly don't think there is a loser in the whole bunch, including Alex Armah.

Every draft pick could make an impact. It's pretty rare to see happen.

I loved every single pick.

[Hoenheim]

Holy fug that was long but I read it all just before bedtime 

I think this guy will be great if he can stay healthy. He's going to command so much attention that all of our our other WRs and Olsen should be open more often. Don't be suprised if McCaffrey and Samuel end up being good, it could actually be KB or Olsen who explodes for a monster season instead because defenses can't double them or have saftey help on them anymore when they're too worried about what we might do with the rookies. 

I don't know about the Steve Smith comparisons, the NFL is a different world from college we'll have to see if his toughness translates over. 

Yeah I agree they shouldnt let his running back skills go to waste and their should be alot of mixed backfields with him and McCaffrey next to Cam and motioning either of them into and out of the slot, or even to the outside occasionally. If Shula mixes up the playcalls enough defenses will have fits with us this season.

 

I'm wondering if him and McCaffrey will get more playing time than I'm expecting in the pre season, what with McCaffrey missing time due to that school rule , Samuel missing time from the hamstring, and Cam also not throwing to them until I"m guessing training camp which is really late and only about a month and some change removed from the regular season start against the 49ers. 

[Saca312]

11 minutes ago, Hoenheim said:

I'm wondering if him and McCaffrey will get more playing time than I'm expecting in the pre season, what with McCaffrey missing time due to that school rule , Samuel missing time from the hamstring, and Cam also not throwing to them until I"m guessing training camp which is really late and only about a month and some change removed from the regular season start against the 49ers. 

They probably will unless Samuel's hamstring is something the Panthers keep looking after. Cam Newton missed OTAs his rookie season as well, so I don't think he'll be impacted as much.

Will be a very interesting few preseason games to see how they play with vanilla play-calling.

[Daddy_Uncle]

Jesus christ i wouldnt put that much effort into something Im not getting paid for. 

[Hoenheim]

8 hours ago, Daddy_Uncle said:

Jesus christ i wouldnt put that much effort into something Im not getting paid for. 

yeah that was alot  xD I was reading it just before i went to bed and i almost gave up halfway .

[Captain Morgan]

good stuff Saca....can't wait to see this guy on the field.   One thing we might see is sending him wide and putting RunCMC in the slot, clearing a ton of space for Benji and Greg.

This could be a fun season if our tackles hold up.

 

[ItsPantone278]

I'm hoping he sees enough opportunity. 

[Hoenheim]

37 minutes ago, Captain Morgan said:

good stuff Saca....can't wait to see this guy on the field.   One thing we might see is sending him wide and putting RunCMC in the slot, clearing a ton of space for Benji and Greg.

This could be a fun season if our tackles hold up.

 

yup, if not, expect more of the same 

[csx]

This portrays him as being perfect. He must have at least perceived weaknesses or he would have been drafted higher. Big school, blazing speed, good hands.....what is the rub?

If it's at the end I missed it....gracious.

[RetiredCollegeCoach]

11 minutes ago, csx said:

This portrays him as being perfect. He must have at least perceived weaknesses or he would have been drafted higher. Big school, blazing speed, good hands.....what is the rub?

If it's at the end I missed it....gracious.

I like these threads and have respect for the guy's eye for "the good stuff" - but if you're looking for criticism or a balanced assessment of strengths and weaknesses, he doesn't do that. He's a highlight reel stenographer.

[Saca312]

17 minutes ago, csx said:

This portrays him as being perfect. He must have at least perceived weaknesses or he would have been drafted higher. Big school, blazing speed, good hands.....what is the rub?

If it's at the end I missed it....gracious.

Went over some of the weaknesses already, but I'll reiterate for you:

-Biggest thing: Teams unsure how to use him. He works best as a slot receiver who can play runningback. He's amazing and speedy in the slot, but really only has a year of experience. His running ability is good, but probably not first round worthy in that deep class.

His talent is worthy of first round consideration, but teams who don't feel like they could maximize it probably stayed away.

-Samuel tends to favor body catches over using his hands. Same issue with those who have issue with QB mechanics. Samuel's still reliable with a 3.2% drop rate and has shown he can catch with his hands in plenty of situations. 

-Issue I personally saw was his timing with catching outside his frame. He sometimes will jump late/too early and miss his chance at snagging the ball. Rarely happens, but if he ever drops a ball, that's usually why.

-Used primarily in shotgun. Some teams wouldn't be able to scheme around him.

He really doesn't have many weaknesses. I watched about seven full games on him, and what I see is a guy who should've been taken higher. If the Panthers use him right, he'll be a deadly weapon.

[Saca312]

16 minutes ago, RetiredCollegeCoach said:

I like these threads and have respect for the guy's eye for "the good stuff" - but if you're looking for criticism or a balanced assessment of strengths and weaknesses, he doesn't do that. He's a highlight reel stenographer.

I went over the one weakness I saw, which was mistiming his jump when catching outside his frame. 

I really couldn't find much to knock on the kid. You can watch the same thing I did on draftbreakdowns and look through my twitter thread for the plays I saw.