While the Steelers may have sat idle at the trade deadline, sans a move for Kyle Dugger a few days prior, the team's patience may have paid off in the form of securing a young, playmaking cornerback.
That player is Asante Samuel Jr., and if that name sounds familiar it should, as his father was none other than Asante Samuel the ball-hawking corner who played 11 seasons in the NFL, specifically helping the New England Patriots win two Super Bowls.
Like Father, Like Son?
Samuel Jr. and his father haven't always seen eye to eye, and even on some occurrences have had disagreements on social media. The younger Samuel also made some very interesting comments in an LA Times article by Jeff Miller about how people viewed him during his pre-draft process.
"People say, 'Oh, he's the son of Asante Samuel, so of course,'" Samuel Jr. said. "That's kind of giving to his legacy and taking away from mine ... For some people, it's like I'm trying to live off his name."
Samuel Jr. does not shy away from his father's achievements, but rather it frustrates him when people attribute his own success to his name rather than his hard work. In that same article, it's pointed out how the two have tried to mend fences, as Samuel Jr. has publicly stated his love for his father, saying, "You only get one dad. I love him to death," and Samuel Sr. says he will be there for his son "anywhere, anyhow if any problem occurs or he needs me," indicating that he is willing to be a supportive father, even if their relationship is complicated.
Asante Samuel and Asante Samuel Jr. are the first father/son duo with multiple career postseason INTs pic.twitter.com/XdXIzTywa3
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 15, 2023
College Exploits
The Sunrise, Fla., native was highly sought after as a consensus four-star recruit, with a top-25 billing coming out of St. Thomas Aquinas. Samuel Jr. helped lead Sunrise to state titles as a sophomore and junior, and then the state semifinals in his final season, before committing to Florida State over Alabama, LSU, and Ohio State, among others.
Once on campus with the Seminoles, Samuel Jr. saw the field immediately as a freshman appearing in all 12 games and starting three. The following season he started all 12 games, snaring an interception with 14 passes defensed, which led the ACC that season.
In his final season with the program, he started eight games with 3 interceptions, 6 passes broken up, a forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries en route to a First-Team All-ACC selection, even though he decided to opt out of the season early due to the team starting a horrific 2-6, and him experiencing a lingering shoulder injury. The move allowed him to get a jump start on the 2021 NFL pre-draft process.
Two INTs in two quarters❕@FSUFootball's Asante Samuel Jr. 🚫✈️ pic.twitter.com/hp9fyTIyrl
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 12, 2020
NFL Experience
Samuel Jr. put that additional draft prep timing to good use, as he put together a strong pro day that included a 4.41 40, 35-inch vertical, and an outstanding short shuttle time of 4.09. That type of athletic performance, in addition his football instincts and work ethic, checked every box that evaluators had and secured him of a consensus top-50 ranking.
His draft ranking was right on the mark as he was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round with pick number 47 in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Just like his time at Florida State, Samuel Jr. saw immediate playing time as he started 12 games during his rookie season, showcasing his ball skills with 2 interceptions and 11 passes defensed.
He followed up his quality rookie season with a strong second season by starting 15 games, snagging 2 interceptions, while also tacking on 11 passes defensed. By his third season he was a pillar of the Chargers secondary starting 16 games, picking off 2 interceptions and accumulating 13 passes defensed.
Chargers CB Asante Samuel Jr. BROKE an NFL Record 👀 Watch #BoltFam#LAFB | #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/SkMGTupujH
— LAFB Network (@LAFBNetwork) January 18, 2023
Going into 2024, Samuel Jr. seemed to be poised for a huge payday as he was due to hit unrestricted free agency after the season. He was a noted playmaker in the Chargers' secondary with multiple seasons of starting experience, who also was young. He only turned 26 last month.
However, after an uneven start to the season, he experienced an injury he described as stingers in both shoulders. That injury ultimately led him to be placed on injured reserve ending his season prematurely and putting his free agent status in serious question.
Injury Red Flag?
As mentioned earlier, Samuel Jr. opted out of his final season at Florida State, partially due to an issue with his shoulder, but he otherwise didn't have to deal with injury issues outside of dealing with a concussion in his rookie season.
It was divulged, though, after his season-ending injury that he has been dealing with a condition to his shoulders since birth, and the stinger injuries just further necessitated a decision to address the issue going forward. Samuel Jr. consulted with the Steelers neurosurgeon Dr. David Okonkwo, who ultimately performed a spinal fusion surgery last April. Samuel then decided to sit back and rehab and recover rather than jump into free agency without proper clearance.
It wasn't until recently that he received clearance from Okonkwo, and Dr. Nicholas Theodore, a noted spinal trauma doctor that he took along on visits to prospective teams, until finally signing with the Steelers.
Outlook and Scouting Report
With Samuel Jr.'s health questions allegedly behind him, the Steelers made what they consider a low-risk/high-reward signing.
When you consider his youth and the prospect of him bouncing back to his previous level of play, a script could be written that has Samuel Jr.'s stay in Pittsburgh extended indefinitely.
When you pop on the tape of Samuel Jr., you see a feisty cover corner with outstanding instincts and transitional skills to mirror and match. While he does not possess the ideal frame (5-10, 180, with short 30 1/8" arms), you cannot discount his tenacity and peskiness at the catch poin,t in addition to his instincts that lead him to consistently be in the football's path.
He displays impeccable timing in breaking on the ball when in zone and has the foot quickness and speed to mirror wide receivers in man. While his frame would indicate a move inside to slot corner, he has expressed more comfort aligning outside and he has only lined up in the slot a total of 236 times in his career (196 college/40 NFL), per Pro Football Focus.
For as good as Samuel Jr. is in coverage, he does not have the same acumen as a tackler, as he has missed 36 tackles over his NFL career, per PFF. Regularly shows poor technique and can be best described as a duck-and-dive tackler on the perimeter. He also has shown a propensity for trying to lay a booming hit, rather than properly breaking down and securing the ball carrier.
Overall, if Samuel Jr. can prove to be healthy, this has the makings of being a hallmark move for a Steelers defense that could use an injection of quality coverage outside the hashes, giving the vaunted pass rush another second to get home on the quarterback.
Asante Samuel Jr. with a BIG TIME interception for the @chargers ⚡️#LVvsLAC | via @NFL pic.twitter.com/lWrpoxZJj9
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) October 1, 2023
(Follow Roy Countryman on Twitter at @PreacherBoyRoy.)
Asante Samuel Jr. breaks up a pass to Chase Claypool of the Steelers in 2021 (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)