Former South Carolina and current San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is preparing for his sixth season in the NFL and has popped up recently on a few top NFL players list.

Samuel is coming off a 2023 season where he was on the receiving end of 60 passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. He also carried the ball 37 times for 225 yards and five touchdowns.

Recently, Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Network released its top NFL players list and Samuel was included in both. PFF’s Sam Monson listed Samuel at No. 50 while PFN’s Dallas Robinson included him at No. 72 out of 100. Here’s what both Monson and Robinson had to say about Samuel in their respective articles.

“Deebo Samuel is a unique offensive weapon for the 49ers,” Monson said. “He is a very good wide receiver, but his ability to move into the backfield and carry the ball like a running back — and a very good one — is what makes him special. On 80 fewer targets than Tyreek Hill, Samuel forced only one fewer missed tackle as a receiver, and he added 19 more as a rusher. Samuel’s impact on San Francisco’s offense is clear to see when he doesn’t suit up. He is an elite force, even if his true position is difficult to define.”

“Few NFL wideouts are as versatile as Samuel, who can line up out wide, in the slot, in motion, or in the backfield,” Monson said. “Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme puts Samuel in the right position, but Deebo creates more yardage for himself than any receiver in the NFL.

“Samuel led WRs with 8.8 yards after the catch per reception in 2023. He ranked eighth in YAC/R league-wide, and every player who finished ahead of him played running back. Deebo also ranked first in yards after the catch over expectation (235), suggesting few players could have generated as much extra yardage given the same opportunities.”

In his five years in the NFL, Samuel has caught 283 passes for 4,122 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 1,007 yards and 19 touchdowns on 160 carries. His best season statistically came in 2021 when he recorded 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and a combined 14 touchdowns. He was a first team All-Pro selection in 2021.

Samuel was electric during his time at South Carolina donning the garnet and black. He ended his collegiate career with the Gamecocks with a bang his senior year when he recorded 62 catches for 882 yards and 11 touchdowns. In his career at South Carolina, Samuel caught 148 passes for 2,076 yards and 16 touchdowns. In addition to being a phenomenal receiver, Samuel also returned four kickoffs for a touchdown.