Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft starting on April 29th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up...
Asante Samuel Jr. (Cornerback), Florida State, Junior
Samuel weighs in at 184lbs, standing at 5'10" and is one of the best cornerbacks in the draft.
Overview:
A lot of people recognize the name as his father, Asante Samuel, was a Pro Bowl NFL cornerback who played from 2003-2013. Like his father, Samuel Jr. possesses a natural feel in coverage that he hangs his hat on. Samuel was an instant contributor once he set foot on Florida State's campus, and ended his career on a high note posting his most interceptions and his lowest passer rating against in 2020. He also did this while playing on the perimeter, which is something many NFL teams likely have concerns about due to his size. Spending most of his time in the slot until his final year in college, Samuel has flexibility coming out of college that most cornerbacks don't have. However, his size may have many teams pegging him as a slot only corner which could limit how high he goes in the draft.
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Pros:
- Versatility, has had success playing many different coverages from multiple positions
- Solid ball skills
- Good production that improved each season
- Good fluidity in and out of breaks to stay with WRs
- Plus instincts
- Willingness in his run defense
- Solid Tackler
- Extensive experience in man coverage against all types of WRs
- NFL lineage
Cons:
- Size. Some may peg him as a slot only player
- Can get stuck on blocks in the screen game
- Lack of experience in zone coverage
- Average ball tracking when turning his back
- More penalties than you'd like to see in coverage
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Most of Steeler Nation likely isn't super high on the idea of drafting a corner early, especially with the current regime's track record. However, Asante Samuel Jr. would be a solid get for a Steelers team that likely has some question marks in the secondary in the coming seasons due to free agency.
Coverage:
There isn't much doubt that Samuel Jr. can shadow receivers in and out of their break with the best of them in this class. Whether it be press-man, off-man, or zone coverage, he has shown positive play in all aspects. He definitely prefers to play man coverage, as it allows him to utilize his skillset the best. When playing in the slot he showed the ability to keep up with quick and shifty players who tend to do a lot of work within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. In his final season he predominantly played on the outside and showed playing on the boundary offers very little worry as well in terms of his coverage skills. We all would've liked to see him play some more zone coverage as he didn't get asked to do that often, but he showed the ability to hold his own there in college. His size hurts him at times covering larger receivers, especially in the red zone, as he can get boxed out. This is to be expected though and something he will have to learn to work through in the NFL.
Ball Skills/Instincts:
While Samuel Jr. is no slouch when it came to production, especially his junior season, there are still some questions here that some teams have in terms of his ball skills. He does a good job at breaking on the ball when thrown and contesting at the catch point forcing many incompletions. He is at his best on inside breaking routes and keeping himself open to the quarterback so he can see the ball and break on it. He does so quickly and always attacks the ball and not just the player. Where he needs some work is on down the field routes where he has to turn his back to the quarterback and get his head back around to track the ball. He is good at watching the receivers hands and attempting to break it up as it arrives, but doesn't get his head back around soon enough to truly make a play on the ball. Samuel Jr. also shows a good knowledge of route concepts that appears to come naturally to him. This allows him to sometimes predict where the receiver is going in his route before he makes the cut allowing him to try and beat them to the spot.
Run Support/Tackling:
This is where Samuel Jr. differs from his father, as his father had a reputation for not always being a willing tackler, especially in run support. Samuel Jr. broke that reputation for the family, as he has consistently shown the willingness to stick his nose in and take on players bigger than him and get them on the ground. He isn't going to drive ball carriers back or deliver any big hits, mostly due to his size. He has solid technique and doesn't throw himself at the ball carrier without wrapping them up, which limits the number of missed tackles he has. Where he does struggle is getting off stock blocks on outside runs or in the screen game, especially against bigger receivers. If he is able to improve in this area it will eliminate a lot of people's concerns, but that is something that a lot of college cornerbacks need to adjust to making the jump tot he NFL.
NFL Comparison - Jaire Alexander:
Especially coming out of college, Alexander and Samuel Jr. are very similar players. Both are smaller corners who play a physical brand of football on the outside, even though many want to pigeon hole them as nickel corners due to their size. Both struggled getting off blocks in college as well as could get a little to physical in coverage at times, but that didn't stop Alexander from turning into an elite NFL cornerback.
Draft Projection - Late 1st or 2nd Round:
The number of teams that value Samuel Jr. as exclusively a nickel corner is going to greatly impact his draft value. If a lot of teams have concerns over his ability to hang on the outside he may slide to the middle or late 2nd round. However, it only takes one team to fall in love, and cornerbacks tend to have a wide range of evaluation from NFL teams, so he could sneak his way into the first round as well.
Let us know below what you think about Samuel Jr. as a prospect, and let us know what other prospects you could be interested in seeing a profile on!
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