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South Carolina star receiver/kick returner/doer-of-all-things Deebo Samuel was selected 36th overall in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers on Friday night.
Deebo Samuel is officially taking his talents to San Francisco!
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) April 26, 2019
Forever To Thee, @Uno_Captain! #49ersDraft x #SpursUp x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/w26E96GIGG
At South Carolina, Samuel enjoyed a decorated career stuffed with highlights. He grabbed 86 receptions for 1,194 yards, and totaled 28 touchdowns in just about every way — 16 receiving, seven rushing, four kickoff returns, a touchdown pass, and a fumble recovery for good measure. A first-team All-SEC and All-America honoree at the all-purpose and kick returner positions, Samuel finished first in program history in kick return average (29 yards for four touchdowns) and eighth in all-purposes yardage (3,257).
The selection has been met favorably so far by NFL draftniks and Niners observers alike:
The 49ers add Deebo Samuel out of @GamecockFB with the 36th pick!
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 26, 2019
Samuel broke an absurd 21 tackles on only 62 catches this past season and had a fantastic week at the Senior Bowl #NFLDraft https://t.co/1q8tJRnTEh
The 49ers continue to show they value positional versatility with their WRs with this Deebo Samuel pick a year after taking Dante Pettis. Guys can line up anywhere.
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) April 26, 2019
The 49ers have grabbed their share of Gamecocks lately, with Marcus Lattimore, Mike Davis, and Dylan Thompson all passing through San Francisco at various points over the past few years (although no current USC alums are on the roster). Best of luck to Deebo as he embarks on his professional career!