Curtis Samuel

Samuel moved to a hybrid H-back role for Ohio State as a sophomore and became the centerpiece of the Ohio State offense as a junior, separating himself as the most dangerous weapon on the roster. He grew up modeling his game after Percy Harvin and filled a similar role in Urban Meyer's offense, lining up in the backfield and as a receiver -- only player in Ohio State history to finish his career with 1,000+ yards both rushing and receiving. Samuel was the rare New York City recruit to receive attention from all the top-tier programs, committing to Ohio State the moment Meyer offered him a scholarship. With Ezekiel Elliott to the NFL, Samuel became the featured weapon of the Buckeyes' offense in 2016, leading the team with 74 receptions for 865 yards and seven scores and finishing third in rushing with 771 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He was a First Team All-Big Ten selection at receiver and also received several All-American honors. A natural ball-handler, Samuel is a balanced athlete with the explosive traits and natural acceleration to produce chunk plays in various roles. Similar in many ways to Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, Samuel is ideally suited for a hybrid offensive position that highlights his instinctive run qualities as an inside rusher, but also his strong hands and route-running as a slot receiver.

strengths

Fluid athlete with balanced start/stop quickness. Lower body explosiveness to maneuver in tight spaces. Shifts gears well in the open field with the finishing speed to out-run defenders. Deceiving body strength to fight off tackle attempts and keep his feet. Savvy football instincts and decision-making with or without the ball. Natural tracking skills as a pass-catcher with soft hands to attack away from his body and make fluid adjustments. Transitions his weight well as a route runner and always helping the quarterback, finding open zones in coverage. Hand-eye coordination and toughness to finish catches in a crowd. Quick to read and find an opening as an inside runner. Has worked hard to develop his body in the weight room and it shows. Big play threat with 18 plays of 20+ yards in 2016. Highly productive junior season with 15 total touchdowns, leading the Big Ten with 128.8 all-purpose yards per game -- only FBS player with 700+ yards both rushing and receiving in 2016.

weaknesses

Tweener size and skill-set with limited growth potential. Needs to add patience to his run diet. Limited lower-the-shoulder power between the tackles. Route tempo requires refinement to set up cornerbacks based on his coverage reads. Little jam experience and needs to develop his hand technique vs. press. Smaller target downfield and will let the ball into his body at times. Ball security isn't a glaring issue, but there is room for improvement. Added punt return duties in 2016, but had mixed results, averaging only 3.2 yards per return. Physical in pass protection, but room to be more assignment sound in this area.

Curtis Samuel was one of six from his recruiting class of 2014 to enroll into classes at Ohio State in January

he came to Ohio State a consensus four-star prospect by all four recruiting services and he was among the Top 100 players in the nation according to 247Sports (No. 46), Rivals (No. 49) and Scout (No. 60)

listed on the ESPN 300 (No. 153)

rated as the No. 9 receiver by Scout, No. 5 athlete by 247Sports and No. 8 receiver by Rivals

Samuel rushed for 1,461 yards, averaged 15.8 yards per rush and scored 17 touchdowns in 2013 and helped his 10-2 Dutchmen team, coached by Danny Landberg, to a second appearance in the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) city title game

named New York’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior

rushed for 446 yards and scored six touchdowns in 2013 city league playoffs

had an 80-yard kickoff return TD vs. John F. Kennedy and had a 75-yard TD run vs. Tottenville in the title game

invited to U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Samuel averaged 11.5 yards per carry as a junior while rushing for 1,047 yards and 13 touchdowns

he also had three receiving touchdowns and two punt return touchdowns as a junior while helping Erasmus to an undefeated season and a first-ever PSAL title

the New York Daily News named Samuel its city player of the year in 2012

state runner-up in the 55-meter dash in spring 2013

parents are Nicole Samuel, step-father Roy Armstead and father Curtis Council.

2016

rushing
YPC	TD	YDS	CAR	LONG
7.9	8.0	771.0	97.0	74.0

receiving
REC	YPR	TD	LONG	YDS
74.0	11.7	7.0	79.0	865.0

fumbles
REC	LOST	FUM
0.0	0.0	2.0

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0

puntReturns
AVG	NO	TD	LONG	YDS
3.2	6.0	0.0	12.0	19.0

2015

rushing
YPC	TD	YDS	CAR	LONG
7.8	1.0	132.0	17.0	40.0

receiving
REC	YPR	TD	LONG	YDS
22.0	13.1	2.0	40.0	289.0

kickReturns
LONG	YDS	NO	TD	AVG
38.0	207.0	9.0	0.0	23.0