Samuel's 802 receiving yards also ranks as the second-most by a rookie in franchise history, behind only Jerry Rice, who had 927 in 1985. His three games of 100-or-more receiving yards are the most by a rookie in a single season in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
National scout Chip Flanagan credits another former 49er draft pick for putting Samuel on the team's radar—Marcus Lattimore. The 49ers made the running back a fourth-round selection in 2013.
On November 5, 2014, Lattimore announced his retirement after trying to return from a knee injury and having never played a down of football with the 49ers.
"I have given every ounce of my energy toward making a full recovery from my knee injury, and I have made a lot of progress," Lattimore said via a statement announcing his retirement. "Unfortunately, getting my knee fully back to the level the NFL demands has proven to be insurmountable."
Flanagan remembers scouting Lattimore at South Carolina.
"Marcus was a prolific running back," the scout recently told 49ers.com. "He set every record in the SEC as a running back."
Lattimore went on to join Will Muschamp's coaching staff at South Carolina as the director of player development. During that time, he got to work with Samuel, who he had known for years.
"Fast forward six years later to the 2019 draft," Flanagan continued, "and I was at the University of South Carolina practice field and saw Marcus over there. I went over and got a chance to visit with him. We talked probably for about 15 minutes, and 13 of those minutes were spent talking about Deebo Samuel.
"Deebo and Marcus are from the same area and have known each other since Deebo was, I want to say about 10 or 12 years old.
"You watch Deebo on college tape, and he was an unbelievable returner. He was unbelievable with the ball in his hands as a runner and after the catch as a receiver.
"Really, just being able to have Marcus' perspective, as a guy that's highly respected coming out of South Carolina, was really valuable to me."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Deebo Samuel shares honest thoughts on frustrating season
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has experienced plenty of highs since being drafted in 2019, including four NFC Championship appearances and two trips to the Super Bowl. He's also endured lows, like the injury-ravaged 2020 season when the team managed just six... -
Why ESPN believes Deebo Samuel could be a 49ers offseason cap casualty
ESPN reporter Dan Graziano recently evaluated the NFL landscape to identify potential offseason trade and cut candidates. One name stood out as a likely casualty while examining the San Francisco 49ers' salary cap situation. It's a player whose future with the team has been the... -
For The Win makes the case for the 49ers to sign former first-round QB
Let's start by acknowledging that this scenario is highly unlikely to unfold. While Brock Purdy's status for Sunday's playoff rematch between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers remains uncertain, the team does not appear to view his shoulder injury as a long-term... -
Terrell Owens on 49ers: Deebo needs to shift focus, Jennings a bright spot
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards only once in his six NFL seasons. That career-best performance came in 2021, when the versatile playmaker amassed 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns, including an impressive 1,405...