The Pittsburgh Steelers selected former North Carolina State running back Jaylen Samuels with their second of two fifth-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft and he might just be the most intriguing player of this year’s class due to the various ways he was used during his college career.
Samuels’ career offensive stats at North Carolina State certainly paint a picture of how versatile of player he was as he caught 201 passes for 1,851 yards and 19 touchdowns in addition to carrying the football 182 times in total for 1,107 yards and 28 touchdowns. That painted statistical picture aside, Samuels’ rushing stats need contextualizing due to the various ways he was used when it came to him carrying the football. In an effort to give you a good idea as to how Samuels was used as a runner at North Carolina State, I have contextualized every one of his rushes from 2017 and you can see a breakdown of those in the table below along with links to each and every run.
As you can see by Samuels’ rushing stats breakdown above the detailed play-by-play data, the North Carolina State product had 43 traditional handoffs last season. On those 43 runs he was lined up as either a tailback or halfback in the backfield in either a pistol-I formation (I-PI) or as deep tailback behind a quarterback who was under the center (DTB).
13 of Samuels’ 2017 rushes came with him lined up as a Wildcat quarterback while his other 20 carries were non-traditional types and that includes jet sweeps and end-around runs that came via him not being lined up in the backfield and behind the quarterback.
The below breakdown in addition to the linked videos should definitely paint a clearer picture to you as to how Samuels was used as a runner during his entire college career.
| Jaylen Samuels 2017 Rushing Stats Breakdown | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSH | YDS | TD | ALIGN | YPR | SUCC | SUCC % |
| 16 | 82 | 6 | DTB | 5.13 | 10 | 62.5% |
| 27 | 148 | 1 | I-PI | 5.48 | 14 | 51.9% |
| 13 | 32 | 4 | WCQB | 2.46 | 6 | 46.2% |
| 20 | 144 | 1 | OTHER | 7.20 | 13 | 65.0% |
| 76 | 406 | 12 | TOTAL | 5.34 | 43 | 56.6% |
| OPP | QRT | TIME | DWN | DIST | LOS | PLAY BY PLAY | YDS | ALIGN | PLAY DESCRIPTION CONTEXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 1 | 10:31 | 1 | 15 | SC 26 | J.Samuels run for 9 yds to the SCaro 17 | 9 | LHB | Orbit motion pitch right |
| MAR | 2 | 5:01 | 2 | 10 | NCST 20 | J.Samuels run for 12 yds to the NCSt 32 for a 1ST | 12 | RHB-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| MAR | 2 | 5:01 | 1 | 10 | MRSH 40 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the Marsh 39 | 1 | LSL | End around right |
| FUR | 1 | 9:53 | 1 | 10 | FUR 49 | J.Samuels run for 10 yds to the Furm 39 for a 1ST | 10 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| FUR | 1 | 4:46 | 2 | G | FUR 2 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds for a TD | 2 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to left |
| FUR | 2 | 9:34 | 3 | G | FUR 1 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd for a TD | 1 | WCQB | Direct snap to middle |
| FUR | 2 | 0:18 | 1 | G | FUR 1 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd for a TD | 1 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to left |
| FUR | 3 | 8:37 | 1 | 10 | FUR 49 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the Furm 47 | 2 | RSL | End around left |
| FSU | 1 | 10:33 | 1 | 10 | FSU 33 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 6 yards to the FlaSt 39 | -6 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| FSU | 1 | 3:50 | 3 | G | FSU 3 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the FlaSt 2 | 1 | WCQB | Direct snap to middle |
| FSU | 1 | 3:20 | 4 | G | FSU 2 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds for a TD | 2 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| FSU | 3 | 8:29 | 2 | 7 | FSU 48 | J.Samuels run for 6 yds to the FlaSt 42 | 6 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| FSU | 3 | 4:04 | 1 | 10 | NCST 19 | J.Samuels run for 8 yds to the NCSt 27 | 8 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| SYR | 1 | 15:00 | 2 | 10 | SYR 42 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the Syrac 40 | 2 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to left |
| SYR | 1 | 15:00 | 4 | 1 | SYR 33 | J.Samuels run for 9 yds to the Syrac 24 for a 1ST | 9 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| SYR | 1 | 1:29 | 1 | 10 | NCST 46 | J.Samuels run for 22 yds to the Syrac 32 for a 1ST | 22 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| SYR | 2 | 7:47 | 1 | 10 | SYR 25 | J.Samuels run for 10 yds to the Syrac 15 for a 1ST | 10 | RSL | End around left |
| SYR | 2 | 2:21 | 2 | 11 | SYR 16 | J.Samuels run for 16 yds for a TD | 16 | LSL | Jet sweep right |
| SYR | 4 | 14:54 | 2 | 4 | SYR 24 | J.Samuels run for 4 yds to the Syrac 20 for a 1ST | 4 | LHB-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| SYR | 4 | 4:39 | 3 | 1 | SYR 38 | J.Samuels run for no gain to the Syrac 38 | 0 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| SYR | 4 | 2:53 | 1 | 10 | SYR 36 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the Syrac 34 | 2 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| SYR | 4 | 2:53 | 2 | 8 | SYR 34 | J.Samuels run for 9 yds to the Syrac 25 for a 1ST | 9 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| LOU | 1 | 10:39 | 1 | 10 | NCST 40 | J.Samuels run for 6 yds to the NCSt 46 | 6 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| LOU | 2 | 12:30 | 3 | 1 | 50 | J.Samuels run for no gain to the 50 yard line | 0 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| LOU | 2 | 5:40 | 2 | G | LOU 4 | J.Samuels run for no gain to the Lvile 4 | 0 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| PIT | 1 | 15:00 | 1 | 10 | NCST 25 | J.Samuels run for 10 yds to the NCSt 35 for a 1ST | 10 | LHB | Jet sweep to right |
| PIT | 1 | 15:00 | 2 | 9 | PITT 40 | J.Samuels run for 6 yds to the Pitt 34 | 6 | LHB | Orbit motion pitch right |
| PIT | 1 | 9:07 | 1 | 10 | NCST 8 | J.Samuels run for 3 yds to the NCSt 11 | 3 | LHB-PI | Motion right backwards pass |
| PIT | 1 | 9:07 | 2 | 7 | NCST 11 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the NCSt 13 | 2 | LHB-PI | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| PIT | 4 | 11:55 | 1 | G | PITT 1 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd for a TD | 1 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| PIT | 4 | 2:01 | 3 | 2 | PITT 40 | J.Samuels run for 40 yds for a TD | 40 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| ND | 1 | 2:20 | 1 | 10 | NCST 29 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the NCSt 30 | 1 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| ND | 1 | 0:25 | 1 | 10 | ND 15 | J.Samuels run for no gain to the NDame 15 | 0 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| ND | 2 | 9:20 | 1 | 10 | NCST 13 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 4 yards to the NCSt 9 | -4 | I-PI | Backfield pitch to left |
| ND | 2 | 9:00 | 2 | 14 | NCST 9 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the NCSt 10 | 1 | LHB-PI | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| ND | 3 | 14:47 | 1 | 10 | NCST 20 | J.Samuels run for 12 yds to the NCSt 32 for a 1ST | 12 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| ND | 3 | 13:48 | 2 | 1 | NCST 41 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 3 yds to the NCSt 38 | -3 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| ND | 3 | 11:48 | 1 | 10 | ND 42 | J.Samuels run for 3 yds to the NDame 39 | 3 | RHB | Jet sweep to left |
| CLM | 1 | 14:16 | 1 | 10 | CLEM 40 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 1 yd to the Clem 41 | -1 | WCQB | Direct snap to left |
| CLM | 1 | 8:59 | 1 | 10 | NCST 35 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the NCSt 36 | 1 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| CLM | 1 | 5:45 | 4 | 1 | CLEM 39 | J.Samuels run for 3 yds to the Clem 36 for a 1ST | 3 | RHB | Jet sweep to left |
| CLM | 1 | 4:37 | 2 | 4 | CLEM 30 | J.Samuels run for 15 yds to the Clem 15 for a 1ST | 15 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| CLM | 1 | 4:08 | 1 | 10 | CLEM 15 | J.Samuels run for 7 yds to the Clem 8 | 7 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| CLM | 1 | 3:44 | 2 | 3 | CLEM 8 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the Clem 6 | 2 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| CLM | 1 | 3:02 | 1 | G | CLEM 2 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the Clem 1 | 1 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| CLM | 1 | 2:25 | 2 | G | CLEM 1 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd for a TD | 1 | WCQB | Direct snap to middle |
| CLM | 2 | 10:58 | 1 | 10 | CLEM 18 | J.Samuels run for 10 yds to the Clem 8 for a 1ST | 10 | WCQB | Direct snap to middle |
| CLM | 2 | 10:42 | 1 | G | CLEM 8 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 2 yds to the Clem 10 | -2 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to right |
| CLM | 2 | 2:18 | 2 | 10 | CLEM 17 | J.Samuels run for no gain to the Clem 17 | 0 | WCQB | Direct snap to left |
| CLM | 3 | 0:53 | 3 | 2 | 50 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the Clem 49 | 1 | WCQB | Direct snap to middle |
| BC | 1 | 8:17 | 1 | 10 | BC 42 | J.Samuels run for 3 yds to the BC 39 | 3 | WCQB | Direct snap to left |
| BC | 2 | 8:46 | 2 | 10 | BC 23 | J.Samuels run for 4 yds to the BC 19 | 4 | LSL | Jet sweep to right |
| BC | 2 | 3:51 | 1 | 10 | BC 18 | J.Samuels run for 6 yds to the BC 12 | 6 | RSL | End around to left |
| BC | 2 | 2:26 | 2 | G | BC 8 | J.Samuels run for 8 yds for a TD | 8 | WCQB | Direct snap to left |
| BC | 3 | 1:54 | 1 | 10 | NCST 46 | J.Samuels run for 3 yds to the NCSt 49 | 3 | WCQB | Direct snap to middle |
| BC | 4 | 8:57 | 3 | 2 | NCST 25 | J.Samuels run for 25 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST | 25 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| WF | 1 | 5:13 | 4 | 2 | WAKE 11 | J.Samuels run for 11 yds for a TD | 11 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| WF | 1 | 2:35 | 1 | 10 | NCST 24 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the NCSt 25 | 1 | LHB | Orbit motion pitch right |
| WF | 3 | 13:46 | 1 | 10 | NCST 22 | J.Samuels run for 20 yds to the NCSt 42 for a 1ST | 20 | LHB | Jet sweep to right |
| WF | 3 | 9:26 | 2 | 5 | NCST 25 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the NCSt 27 | 2 | LSL | Jet sweep to right |
| WF | 3 | 4:07 | 1 | 10 | NCST 37 | J.Samuels run for 4 yds to the NCSt 46 fumbled | 4 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| WF | 3 | 3:53 | 4 | 1 | WAKE 42 | J.Samuels run for 11 yds to the WFrst 31 for a 1ST | 11 | LSL | Jet sweep to right |
| WF | 4 | 15:00 | 2 | G | WAKE 4 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 4 yds to the WFrst 8 | -4 | I-PI | Backfield hand-off to left |
| NC | 1 | 13:24 | 2 | 8 | UNC 43 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 1 yd to the NCaro 44 | -1 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| NC | 1 | 7:06 | 2 | 2 | NCST 34 | J.Samuels run for 5 yds to the NCSt 39 for a 1ST | 5 | RSL | End around to left |
| NC | 1 | 7:06 | 1 | 10 | NCST 39 | J.Samuels run for 11 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST | 11 | RSL | Reverse to left side |
| NC | 2 | 6:49 | 2 | G | UNC 4 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 1 yd to the NCaro 5 | -1 | WCQB | Direct snap to right |
| NC | 3 | 9:38 | 1 | 10 | UNC 20 | J.Samuels run for 13 yds to the NCaro 7 for a 1ST | 13 | RSL | Jet sweep to left |
| NC | 4 | 1:45 | 2 | 10 | UNC 26 | J.Samuels run for 16 yds to the NCaro 10 for a 1ST | 16 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to middle |
| NC | 4 | 1:33 | 1 | G | UNC 10 | J.Samuels run for 10 yds for a TD | 10 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| ASU | 1 | 12:30 | 2 | G | ASU 2 | J.Samuels run for a loss of 2 yds to the ArzSt 4 | -2 | RHB | Jet sweep to left |
| ASU | 1 | 5:27 | 4 | 2 | ASU 39 | J.Samuels run for 4 yds to the ArzSt 35 for a 1ST | 4 | WCQB | Direct snap to right |
| ASU | 1 | 3:06 | 2 | 10 | ASU 18 | J.Samuels run for 13 yds to the ArzSt 5 for a 1ST | 13 | RSL | End around to left |
| ASU | 4 | 8:10 | 2 | 1 | ASU 39 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds to the ArzSt 37 for a 1ST | 2 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| ASU | 4 | 4:30 | 2 | G | ASU 3 | J.Samuels run for 1 yd to the ArzSt 2 | 1 | DTB | Backfield hand-off to right |
| ASU | 4 | 4:06 | 3 | G | ASU 2 | J.Samuels run for 2 yds for a TD | 2 | WCQB | Direct snap to right |
