Tyshun “Deebo” Samuel, Sr. is a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. He was given the nickname "Deebo" by his father, Galen, after a tough guy character in the 1995 movie, Friday. Deebo flashed on both sides of the football in high school, catching 166 passes, rushing 133 times, recording 94 tackles and grabbing 12 interceptions. He also scored 53 total touchdowns at Chapman High School in Inman, South Carolina. A three-star recruit, Samuel went on to play college ball at the University of South Carolina.
After redshirting in 2014, Samuel struggled with injuries during the 2015 season and he saw limited playing time. In 2016, however, he led the Gamecocks in receptions and receiving yards. He also scored six touchdowns on just 15 attempts on the ground. His 2017 season was again marred by injuries. He suffered a broken fibula in Week 3, which cost him the rest of the season. Returning to Columbia in 2018, Samuel exploded onto the national stage, recording 11 receiving touchdowns. He also posted a 10-catch, 210-yard, three score effort against eventual National Champion Clemson.
Built like a running back at 5-11 and 214 pounds, Samuel stood out at the 2019 Combine, posting top-tier measurables across the board in speed, burst and agility. Despite modest college stats, the 49ers selected Samuel in Round 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Samuel wasted no time demonstrating his receiving chops as a rookie, posting a WR1 finish in only his second career game with five catches for 87 yards and a score on just 12 routes run. Posting three more WR1 performances in his rookie season, he immediately established himself as a red zone favorite and YAC monster, with 461 of his 803 yards coming after the catch. He was San Francisco’s leading receiver as a rookie, playing 71-percent of snaps. Injuries and COVID wreaked havoc on Samuel’s second season, limiting him to seven games. When on the field, though, he showed his elite YAC ability, turning a 2.6 ADOT (No. 109) into 391 receiving yards, more than 55 per game.
Returning to health in 2021, Samuel’s opportunity grew and he took his game to a whole new level. He led the team in targets and his 27.8-percent Target Share was No. 6 in the league. Deebo had to do much of the work on his own, seeing just 14 deep balls on the season and earning most of his 1,405 receiving yards (No. 5) on YAC. His 777 Yards After Catch ranked No. 2 in the league and, according to Next Gen Stats, he led the league in YAC per reception by a wide margin. The Niners also utilized Samuel out of the backfield during the latter part of the season. From Week 10 through the playoffs, he averaged 7.2 carries for 44 rushing yards and added eight scores on the ground. All totaled, Samuel ended as the No. 3 WR in fantasy with 21.2 points per game.
When the team traded for Christian McCaffrey during the 2022 season, Samuel lost both rushing and receiving work, preventing him from returning to his 2021 status as a top-5 WR. Injuries struck again; he suffered a hamstring strain, a quad strain, and a high ankle sprain that kept him off of the field for three weeks. Samuel admitted that 2022 wasn't his best year and he's been vocal about wanting to return back to the elite production he showcased in his sophomore season in the league.
