If the name Asante Samuel sounds familiar to you; it should. Asante Samuel Jr.’s dad, was a four-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion for some of the most lethal New England defenses of all time. Now, his son is coming to the NFL scene. While many may be wondering how much of the hype is really his abilities and not just the name, Asante Samuel Jr. is undoubtedly one of the top cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft. So, what has Samuel Jr. shown us and what can we expect from him at the next level?
Here’s a deeper look into Asante Samuel Jr. and his stats, highlights and current projections.
Asante Samuel Jr. NFL Draft Profile, Stats, Highlights and Projection
Asante Samuel Jr.
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 184 lbs
Age: 21
College: Florida State Seminoles
Asante Samuel Jr. Highlights
Asante Samuel Jr. 2020 Stats
Coverage Snaps: 278
Rec/Tgt: 19/32
Completion Rate: 59.4%
Yards Allowed: 179
TD/INT: 1/3
Passer Rating: 46.2%
Asante Samuel Jr. Draft Profile
Strengths
One of the biggest positives of Asante Samuel Jr.’s game is his ability to play physical. He makes quick tackles after the catch and truly fights for the ball when it’s in his area. He has great balance and footwork, which will certainly translate to the next level. He’s a ball hawk who will go after the ball in the air. It would also be a disservice to not bring up the fact that his father was more than successful in the NFL himself. With that obviously comes good teaching and an experienced mentor who more than knows his way around different coverages and assignments.
Weaknesses
The biggest problem for Samuel is that he can be prone to panic, at times. He has a history of penalties, mostly pass interference calls. Many of the flags are unnecessary as well. He also isn’t very good at getting off of blocks to help in the running game, due to his size. In coverage, he doesn’t read the quarterback’s eyes as much as he should, which leaves something to be desired. Another question mark is that we weren’t able to see a complete final season out of him, after he opted out of the season midway through.
Asante Samuel Jr. Draft Projection
All 2021 NFL Draft Projections are taken from the latest CBS NFL Mock Draft by Ryan Wilson.
Asante Samuel Jr. is currently projected to be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 35th pick.
For more 2021 NFL Draft coverage and player profiles, check out the our NFL Draft page.
