Philadelphia Eagles: Jaylen Samuels is a Senior Bowl player to watch

As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for the Super Bowl, their scouting department is at the Senior Bowl. Here’s why Jaylen Samuels is a player to watch.

Though there isn’t a professional football game this weekend, there is a game that could have a significant impact on the Philadelphia Eagles‘ future.

And no, I don’t mean the Pro Bowl.

On Saturday, January 27th some of the nation’s best football players will descend upon the city of Mobile, Alabama to take part in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, a game that pits some of the nation’s best senior college football prospects against one another right in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams.

While the Eagles will obviously be focusing the vast majority of their attention on their fast approaching bout against the New England Patriots for a chance to be named Super Bowl LII champions, the team simply can’t overlook the Senior Bowl if they want to continue to build championship caliber rosters for years to come.

With current stars like Brandon Graham, Lane Johnson, and Carson Wentz all cutting their teeth as Senior Bowl standouts, the Eagles could very well find their next great player this week in Alabama.

Here’s why NC State H-back Jaylen Samuels is a player watch at the 2018 Senior Bowl.

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

Meet the Prospect

Jaylen Samuels may be the most unique player in the entire 2018 NFL Draft.

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Samuels, a three-star recruit from Charlotte, North Carolina, came to NC State as a high school running back, but quickly became one of the most intriguing flex players in the entire ACC.

An offensive weapon in every sense of the word, Samuels played all over Dave Doeren offense and found success regardless of the position.

Officially listed as a tight end, Samuels lined up as an inline blocker, in the slot, as an up-back, as an H-back and at times, even as a running back for the Wolfpack, and was used as an offensive chess piece. Over his four year career in Raleigh, Samuels racked up an incredible 2958 yards on 383 touches and 47 touchdowns, and he wasn’t just effective on the offense side of the ball.

Samuels was also a beast on special teams, finishing his career with nine returns for 230 yards (19.2 ypr) and eight special teams tackles over four seasons. While many college football stars refrain from playing special teams to stay fresh for their offensive reps, Samuels made a name for himself by doing the dirty work, whether that be blocking for lead back Nyheim Hines, setting the edge on passing downs or dropping the hammer on an open field tackle.

Though he was never the focal point of NC States’ offense, Samuel proved himself to be one of college football’s best supplemental weapons, a role he will likely continue to play at the games highest level.

Whereas other potential second day NFL prospects may complain if they are underused, or campaign for extra touches, Samuels, every a team player, took whatever he was given and made the most out of each and every opportunity, something that should endear him with Wolfpack fans for years to come.

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Why he’s a fit with the Philadelphia Eagles

Adding another dynamic, multi-faceted offensive weapon to Doug Pederson‘s offense is never a bad idea, but adding a player like Jaylen Samuels could pay almost immediate dividends for the Philadelphia Eagles, especially if they lose some key contributors after the Super Bowl.

With Darren Sproles set to retire, and Trey Burton on his way to earn a big payday as a free agent, the Eagles could be in the market for a young, athletic offensive chess piece who can attack opposing defenses from a variety of different positions across the field.

And no player in the 2018 NFL Draft fits that bill better than Samuels.

Much like Burton, Samuels was used all over the field in college and could become a potential four core special teams player in addition to his offensive production, but unlike Burton, Samuels isn’t going to be available as an undrafted free agent.

Much like similar positionless offensive weapons like Braxton Miller and Curtis Samuel, Samuels is likely going to be selected on day two of the 2018 NBA Draft and has the potential to eventually develop into a scary good offensive chess piece, with Pro Bowl potential, especially if he can run a good 40-yard dash the combine

Though Samuels, at 5-foot-11, 223 pounds, likely won’t line up as an inline tight end as a pro, a creative offensive play caller could use the former member of the Wolfpack in the offensive backfield on one play, and then shift him out to the slot on the next to take advantage of defensive mismatches. Much like current fan favorite Darren Sproles, Samuels could thrive as a third down back, and slot receiver who also has the desired size and burst to handle a full workload as an in a pinch lead back if need be.

While he may not be a perfect fit for every offensive scheme, his position flexibility, team-first mentality and his nose for the end zone makes Samuels one of the most exciting players in the entire 2018 NFL Draft and a potential Rookie of the Year candidate if used correctly.

Draft Projection: Rounds 2-4

NFL Comparison: Alvin Kamara

Next: Philadelphia Eagles: DaeSean Hamilton is a Senior Bowl player to watch

Finding an NFL comparison for Jaylen Samuels is incredibly difficult because he’s such a unique prospect. While he was mostly used as a tight end in college, Samuels doesn’t have the size to be compared to a player like Trey Burton, himself a small tight end. Similarly, while many view Samuels as an H-Back, he’s a far more dynamic athlete than say Kyle Juszczyk, but not nearly as effective as a lead blocker. While it may seem odd on paper, to me at least, Samuels game reminds me a lot of Saints rookie Alvin Kamara.

Much like Kamara, Samuels didn’t have crazy production in college, but both players have serious potential as a receiving threat out of the backfield and could thrive as a change of pace back in the pros. While Samuels may not possess Kamara’s straight-line speed, the pair are roughly the same size, can both catch the ball effectively out of the backfield or out wide and could be used as deadly weapons on third down RPOs. While the Eagles don’t have a day two selection, Samuels could be an ideal target if the team decides to trade out of the first round, or wants to package a pair of fourth-round picks to find a legitimate replacement for Sproles.

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