2021 WorldWide Rams Draft Profile: Asante Samuel Jr | Florida St | CB

worldwide rams

Ed "Pi Double I" Henderson

Player Bio: Asante Samuel Jr prepped at the legendary St. Thomas Aquinas in Sunrise, Fl. In his senior season, he recorded 32 tackles, one interception, two blocked field goals, and two blocked point-after-attempts. He helped the school win two 7A State Championships during his sophomore and junior seasons. He earned All-State First Team and named Under Armour All-American honors. He received an invite to The Opening Finals. He is the son of the former 2003 NFL Draft fourth-round selection of the New England Patriots Asante Samuel Sr.
ACCOLADES
2021 NFL Combine Invite
2020 All-ACC First Team
2019 All-ACC Third Team

ASANTE SAMUEL JR
CORNERBACK
HOMETOWN                      |           CLASS
SUNRISE, FL                       |           JUNIOR 
​ 
DRAFT YR:  2021              COMBINE INVITE: YES

​HEIGHT                    WEIGHT                    ARMS
5' 10⅛"          184 lbs            30⅛"

HANDS                   PROJECTED 40-TIME            DRAFT GRADE
 8⅞"                       4.40                       6.24

SCHOOL:  FLORIDA ST                                 |                    CONFERENCE: ACC
​        
COMBINE RESULTS
40 YD DASH     |     BENCH PRESS     |     VERTICAL JUMP     |     BROAD JUMP     |     3 CONE DRILL     |     20 YD SHUTTLE    
​       4.45         |              12                  |                35”              |            124”          |             6.95             |              4.13                      
 
​PRO DAY RESULTS
40 YD DASH     |     BENCH PRESS     |     VERTICAL JUMP     |     BROAD JUMP     |     3 CONE DRILL     |     20 YD SHUTTLE    
​       4.45         |              12                  |                35”              |            124”          |             6.95             |              4.13                     

game film
#26 Asante Samuel Jr vs Georgia Tech (2020)

game film
#26 Asante Samuel jr hightlights (2020)

Strengths: He is a smaller-sized pedigreed cornerback who played the best off-coverage defense in the nation.  It so happens that he is very versatile who can play outside or in the slot. His versatility enables him to play in man coverages against faster receivers and glue himself to them throughout his route. He has excellent quick feet; he can backpedal quick and tight, with good excellent balance and making an abrupt change of direction for routes. These skills will allow him to as a three-down defensive back at the next level. He is a cerebral play with excellent awareness and knowledge of the game; balls thrown in his direction show his impact, showing when balls are not thrown in his direction. He can beat receivers to their spots, identify the concepts in rub routes or short passing routes. He is a very physical defender, and his play strength mitigates with the size of the receiver. He also shows his physicality against the run. He will wrap up the runner and bring down most big backs. 

Weaknesses: He can be an undisciplined player when his back is to the play to make his hands reach out to the receiver. His pass-interference ratio was very high in college, and he will need to improve the coverages. He will struggle to look down on the quarterback to identify route combinations. At the next level, he may struggle with the more prominent and physical receivers in the red-zone. He has hesitation in his backpedaling and struggles to open his hips up at the right juncture of the route. 

Draft Projection: 2nd Round

NFL Comparison:  Malcolm Butler (Tennessee Titans)

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