2018 NFL Draft: Jaylen Samuels is a unique, dynamic playmaker

North Carolina State running back/receiver Jaylen Samuels is one of the most versatile playmakers in the 2018 NFL Draft class…

North Carolina State senior Jaylen Samuels is one of the most unique players in the 2018 NFL Draft class.

Set to participate in this year’s Senior Bowl, Samuels is listed as a running back but is capable of doing so much more for an offense.

In discussing Samuels with my colleague and fellow NFL Draft fanatic Nick Kendell, he brought up a player comparison that I initially scoffed at, but eventually came around to. Samuels is comparable to a modern day Marcel Reece, a player that entered the NFL perhaps a decade too early.

Samuels, however, is entering at the perfect time.

A 5-foot-11, 228 pound back with excellent speed and quickness, Samuels has versatility to line up all over the formation and make big plays.

He didn’t put up big numbers in terms of yards from scrimmage in his four years at N.C. State, but Samuels was a touchdown machine, racking up 47 total touchdowns (28 rushing, 19 receiving).

Those are pretty crazy numbers for a player that doesn’t have a ‘true’ position, but I think he can be special at the next level. Take a look at some of his highlights…

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While Samuels can of course contribute out of the backfield as a traditional running back, I think his best fit at the NFL level could be as a slot receiver type. He’s part of a new breed of player cut from a similar cloth to that of Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara, but obviously not that explosive or quick in short areas.

But I think Samuels is more than a running back/fullback hybrid who only excels running north and south. This is a player that is very good catching the football, and not just on screen passes or anything like that. He can run some routes from the slot and make tough, contested catches.

I think with the physicality required of slot receivers in the league today, Samuels could be a real weapon for NFL teams at around 230 pounds. He has the ability to break tackles in the open field and he has enough breakaway speed to run away from defenders as well as through them.

This player has a unique skill set and a nose for the end zone, and is one of my favorites for the 2018 class.