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
-
From draft doubt to 49ers All-Pro: Fred Warner credits Robert Saleh for his NFL rise
Fred Warner is excited about Robert Saleh returning to the San Francisco 49ers as defensive coordinator. During the coach's first stint with the team, the star linebacker credits Saleh as one of the earliest and strongest believers in his potential heading into the 2018 NFL... -
Former 49ers star linebacker set to announce Day 2 draft picks
The NFL announced in a statement that several iconic former players—along with some active ones—will announce selections for all 32 teams during Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Among them is a name familiar to many San Francisco 49ers... -
Writer says 49ers should go all-in on this draft pick to help Brock Purdy
The San Francisco 49ers are counting on a healthy Christian McCaffrey for the 2025 season. The star running back appeared in just four games last year, bookending the season on injured reserve. He'll be 29 years old when the new season kicks off. "Christian's healthy, he's... -
Mock draft: 49ers address two needs with one pick—Banks replacement and Williams successor
R.J. White of CBS Sports released his latest mock draft, projecting that the San Francisco 49ers will tackle both a short-term and long-term need with a single selection. After losing left guard Aaron Banks in free agency and with All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams turning 37...