2019 NFL Draft: 10 potential surprise first round picks

South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel caught only one pass for 15 yards on eight targets during the Senior Bowl game on Saturday, but the shifty receiver nonetheless boosted his draft stock with a strong overall week in Mobile.

Samuel was one of the SEC’s most electrifying players over the last few seasons in Columbia, but struggled to stay healthy for a chunk of his career. His injury past has raised some red flags as he looked to lack the same kind of burst during his senior season with the Gamecocks.

Those concerns were largely mitigated during his week at the Senior Bowl as he had no trouble separating from defensive backs and finding open space. He’s a bit undersized, which will likely relegate him to a slot role in the NFL, but he’s liable to be a nightmare matchup against nickel corners and safeties.

Samuel has outstanding burst and footwork and is a terror out in open space. His footwork helps him gain separation with a seamless ability to run the entire route-tree; there’s no wasted movement as he gets in and out of breaks. He’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands and figures to be an instant contributor in the return game as well as a receiver for whichever team drafts him.

Samuel isn’t just the shifty, make-people-miss receiver, though; he runs angry and isn’t afraid of initiating contact. He’s also a willing downfield blocker.

Samuel will most likely find himself as a day-two selection, probably early on in the second round, but the draft is wide open for receivers to move up boards and Samuel is talented enough to intrigue teams at the end of the first round to pull the trigger.

NFL teams are constantly on the lookout for difference makers out of the slot, and Samuel could be an elite weapon from there for years to come.