Bills head coach Sean McDermott recalls scouting Deebo Samuel at South Carolina when he was defensive coordinator for the Panthers and offered some glowing praise for the 49ers wide receiver.
Deebo Samuel’s violent running style comes as no surprise to Sean McDermott.
Back when the Buffalo Bills head coach was the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, Samuel had already caught his eye. McDermott saw the wideout play for South Carolina and is not surprised that his skill set has helped him transition seamlessly into the NFL.
“We got to know Deebo going through the draft process a few years ago,” McDermott said Wednesday via video conference. “He was down the road at South Carolina, so I was able to catch him a little bit just going through the overlap there, and they spoke very highly about him.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“Just all-around a good football player.”
Download and subscribe to the 49ers Talk Podcast
McDermott knows his players have a huge task in tackling the 6-foot, 215-pound receiver. Samuel’s ability of gaining more yards after the catch was more than evident in the 49ers' 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Samuel caught a career-high 11 passes for 133 yards, but even more startling was that Samuel gained 136 yards after the catch.
“You saw the play last week when there was four Rams around him on what seemed a four or five yard gain, and he turned it into a 11-plus yard gain, 15 to 20 yards down the field,” McDermott said. “He’s a very explosive player.”
Samuel seemed to come into his own midway through his rookie season. Last season, 634 of Samuel’s 802 regular-season receiving yards came Week 8 or later, and he ended the 2019 season as the team’s top wide receiver.
Coach Kyle Shanahan praised his wide receiver on Sunday, Samuel’s first game back after missing the previous three due to a hamstring strain. In five games, Samuel has proved to be an important part of the 49ers’ offense, catching 27 of his 35 targets for 318 yards, an average of 11.78 yards per reception.
“Dynamic player, strong, great balance,” McDermott said. “Takes that physical approach in that wide receiver position and he’s very difficult with the ball in his hands.”
RELATED: Shanahan reveals 49ers' emergency QB after Broncos' debacle
The 49ers expect to get rookie Brandon Aiyuk back at practice on Thursday and have him available for their Monday night matchup with the Bills.
Shanahan shared on Tuesday that the practice windows will not open for Jimmy Garoppolo or George Kittle in the next week or two, but Shanahan still is holding out hope that both players could return for the final one or two games of the season.
The 49ers' ability to still have offensive production with so many missing pieces has not gone unnoticed by McDermott. The fellow head coach has a lot of respect for what Shanahan has been able to do with a roster that has had a revolving door due to injuries and COVID-19 absences.
“He’s one of the best coaches in the NFL,” McDermott said.
