It’s been a few months now since the Pittsburgh Steelers selected running back Jaylen Samuels in the fifth-round of the 2018 NFL Draft and yet I still see him mischaracterized by several writers and bloggers. This is happening because they refuse to watch Samuels’ tape in lieu of just regurgitating bad information they’ve read elsewhere.
In an effort to help you see just what kind of receiving option Samuel’s really is as he enters the NFL, I have contextualized for you all 76 of his receptions that he had last season at North Carolina State. If you read the table below and watch several of the linked plays, you will clearly see that Samuels is not yet a premier receiving option like he’s being billed by many as he enters the NFL. In reality, Samuels is just another average pass catching running back who lined up all over the place in the North Carolina State offense. He’s not a true tight end, fullback or h-back as he was very rarely asked to block from those positions during his entire college career. Don’t confuse lining up at those positions with actually being able to play them.
Of Samuels’ 76 total receptions last season, 45 were caught behind the original line of scrimmage. Additionally, only 16 of his receptions came more than 5 yards past the line of scrimmage and 13 of those consisted of him lining up in the slot. Because of these two sets of stats, you should know that Samuels is not a very polished route runner. His routes north of the line of scrimmage general included him running short hitches, comebacks and vertical seams. An occasional flare out and speed out were also run last season.
Samuels was used a ton in 2017 as part of designed screen plays either as a slot wide receiver, an h-back, a lone running back, or lined up outside wide.
15 of Samuels’ receptions were him getting a short pitch from the quarterback as part of either a shovel pass or end-around. Samuels’ average target distance on his 76 receptions was a very dismal 1.11 yards. However, it’s worth noting that 513 of his 597 total receiving yards came after the catch.
| OPP | QRT | TIME | DWN | DIST | LOS | YDS | PDIST | YAC | DIR | ALGN | CONTEXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 1 | 12:44 | 3 | 9 | NCST 41 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | SL | MOF curl |
| SC | 1 | 11:42 | 4 | 2 | SC 41 | 5 | -4 | 9 | 3 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
| SC | 1 | 2:12 | 3 | 2 | NCST 47 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | LHB | Screen to right |
| SC | 1 | 1:00 | 2 | 6 | SC 13 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 3 | SL | Delayed seam left side out of bunch |
| SC | 2 | 14:39 | 1 | 10 | NCST 24 | 8 | -4 | 12 | 2 | SL | WR screen left |
| SC | 2 | 14:25 | 2 | 2 | NCST 32 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| SC | 2 | 0:22 | 2 | 18 | SC 34 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | SR | Short hitch right side |
| SC | 3 | 14:51 | 1 | 10 | NCST 25 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| SC | 3 | 7:36 | 3 | 3 | NCST 20 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| SC | 3 | 3:11 | 1 | 10 | NCST 21 | -2 | -4 | 2 | 3 | SR | End around pitch forward |
| SC | 4 | 12:21 | 4 | 1 | SC 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 4 | RB | RB flair out TD |
| SC | 4 | 11:10 | 1 | 10 | NCST 31 | 7 | -4 | 11 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| SC | 4 | 5:14 | 2 | 10 | SC 40 | 5 | -3 | 8 | 4 | SR | WR screen to right |
| SC | 4 | 4:34 | 4 | 5 | SC 35 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 | SL | Short out right to left |
| SC | 4 | 2:01 | 2 | 10 | SC 49 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| MAR | 1 | 6:23 | 1 | 10 | NCST 35 | 0 | -4 | 4 | 3 | SL | End around pitch forward |
| MAR | 2 | 13:56 | 2 | 10 | NCST 38 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 3 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
| MAR | 2 | 5:01 | 1 | 10 | NCST 32 | -1 | -6 | 5 | 4 | SL | Check down to right side |
| MAR | 2 | 2:05 | 2 | 9 | MRSH 39 | 39 | 22 | 17 | 5 | RHB | Trick play to sideline wheel route |
| MAR | 3 | 14:54 | 1 | 10 | MID 50 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 1 | RHB | Sideline wheel from RHB |
| FUR | 1 | 9:53 | 1 | 10 | NCST 25 | 3 | -6 | 9 | 4 | LHB | Hback screen to left |
| FUR | 1 | 3:22 | 3 | 7 | NCST 43 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 3 | SL | Deep post MOF |
| FUR | 2 | 12:12 | 2 | 6 | FUR 38 | 12 | -4 | 16 | 3 | SR | End around pitch forward |
| FUR | 2 | 12:12 | 1 | 10 | FUR 26 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 3 | LHB | Deep seam MOF |
| FUR | 2 | 2:29 | 1 | 10 | FUR 45 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| FUR | 3 | 15:00 | 3 | 7 | NCST 28 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 3 | SR | Post MOF from slot |
| FSU | 1 | 11:22 | 1 | 10 | FSU 48 | 7 | -2 | 9 | 2 | RHB | Shovel pass |
| FSU | 1 | 10:06 | 2 | 16 | FSU | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
| FSU | 1 | 9:28 | 3 | 13 | FSU 36 | 27 | -4 | 31 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| FSU | 2 | 11:34 | 3 | 2 | NCST 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
| FSU | 2 | 6:15 | 2 | 10 | NCST 17 | -6 | -5 | -1 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| FSU | 2 | 2:36 | 2 | 3 | NCST 27 | 4 | -3 | 7 | 4 | SR | WR screen to right |
| FSU | 3 | 14:07 | 2 | 11 | NCST 20 | 3 | -3 | 6 | 4 | SR | WR screen to right |
| FSU | 3 | 10:55 | 1 | 10 | NCST 27 | 2 | -5 | 7 | 4 | LRB | RB check down to right |
| FSU | 3 | 2:42 | 3 | 11 | NCST 45 | 5 | -4 | 9 | 2 | LRB | RB screen to left |
| FSU | 4 | 12:36 | 1 | 10 | NCST 40 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 5 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
| FSU | 4 | 9:16 | 2 | 6 | FSU 14 | 14 | -2 | 16 | 3 | RTE | Shovel pass |
| FSU | 4 | 3:40 | 3 | 7 | NCST 44 | -3 | -4 | 1 | 3 | RHB | Shovel pass |
| SYR | 1 | 15:00 | 2 | 10 | NCST 35 | 10 | -3 | 13 | 4 | SR | WR screen to right |
| SYR | 3 | 2:28 | 1 | 10 | NCST 29 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| SYR | 4 | 14:54 | 1 | 10 | NCST 35 | 1 | -4 | 5 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| SYR | 4 | 14:54 | 1 | 10 | SYR 20 | 19 | -3 | 22 | 4 | SR | WR screen to right |
| SYR | 4 | 6:06 | 3 | 13 | NCST 12 | 5 | -7 | 12 | 3 | LRB | RB screen to left |
| LOU | 1 | 10:18 | 2 | 4 | NCST 46 | 11 | -4 | 15 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| LOU | 1 | 9:23 | 1 | 10 | LOU 10 | 0 | -2 | 2 | 3 | LHB | Shovel pass |
| LOU | 2 | 13:20 | 1 | 10 | NCST 41 | 7 | -5 | 12 | 3 | LHB | HB screen to left |
| LOU | 2 | 6:39 | 2 | 6 | NCST 13 | 79 | 6 | 73 | 3 | SR | Short hitch right side |
| LOU | 3 | 13:10 | 1 | 10 | NCST 39 | 3 | -5 | 8 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| LOU | 3 | 12:34 | 2 | 7 | NCST 42 | 7 | -3 | 10 | 4 | SR | WR screen right |
| LOU | 3 | 9:45 | 3 | 13 | LOU 14 | -3 | -3 | 0 | 3 | SR | WR screen right |
| PIT | 1 | 14:35 | 1 | 10 | NCST 35 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 3 | SL | Option route from slot |
| PIT | 2 | 0:36 | 1 | 10 | PITT 12 | 3 | -4 | 7 | 3 | SL | End around pitch forward |
| PIT | 2 | 0:36 | 2 | 7 | PITT 9 | 5 | -3 | 8 | 3 | RHB | Hback screen to left |
| PIT | 3 | 0:49 | 2 | 6 | NCST 31 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 | SR | Short hitch right side |
| ND | 1 | 1:32 | 3 | 14 | NCST 25 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 3 | SR | Deep in-breaking route from right slot |
| ND | 3 | 5:00 | 2 | 8 | NCST 44 | 3 | -1 | 4 | 4 | RB | RB screen to right side |
| CLM | 2 | 10:02 | 2 | 10 | CLEM 10 | 3 | -2 | 5 | 3 | SL | Shovel pass |
| CLM | 2 | 9:29 | 3 | 7 | CLEM 7 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | SL | Short hitch left side |
| CLM | 3 | 13:40 | 2 | 10 | NCST 39 | -4 | -4 | 0 | 2 | LWR | WR screen to left side |
| BC | 1 | 8:55 | 3 | 6 | NCST 46 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | SL | Speed out to left |
| BC | 2 | 8:46 | 2 | 10 | BC 23 | 4 | -4 | 8 | 3 | SL | Shovel pass |
| BC | 3 | 8:13 | 3 | 9 | NCST 23 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 4 | SL | Crosser from left slot |
| WF | 1 | 15:00 | 3 | 4 | NCST 31 | 5 | -2 | 7 | 1 | LWR | WR screen to left side |
| WF | 1 | 2:35 | 1 | 10 | NCST 25 | 7 | -2 | 9 | 1 | LWR | WR screen to left side |
| WF | 3 | 9:26 | 1 | 10 | NCST 20 | 5 | -4 | 9 | 3 | SL | End around pitch forward |
| WF | 4 | 7:58 | 1 | 10 | WAKE 44 | 6 | -4 | 10 | 3 | SR | End around pitch forward |
| NC | 1 | 13:24 | 1 | 17 | UNC 22 | 8 | -4 | 12 | 3 | LWR | End around pitch forward |
| NC | 3 | 9:38 | 1 | 0 | UNC 17 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 3 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
| NC | 4 | 8:16 | 2 | 17 | NCST 43 | 6 | -3 | 9 | 2 | SL | WR screen to left |
| ASU | 1 | 7:50 | 2 | 8 | NCST 44 | 3 | -4 | 7 | 4 | RHB | Hback screen to right |
| ASU | 2 | 1:20 | 3 | 11 | ASU 37 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 4 | SLR | Comeback right side |
| ASU | 3 | 14:35 | 2 | 1 | NCST 34 | 2 | -4 | 6 | 3 | SLR | End around pitch forward |
| ASU | 3 | 13:45 | 2 | 5 | NCST 41 | 0 | -4 | 4 | 4 | SLR | WR screen to right |
| ASU | 3 | 9:20 | 2 | 10 | ASU 13 | 4 | -4 | 8 | 3 | SLL | End around pitch forward |
| ASU | 3 | 4:58 | 3 | 16 | NCST 14 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 3 | SLR | Deep post MOF |
| ASU | 4 | 5:00 | 1 | 7 | ASU 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | LHB | Hback screen to right |
