Skip to main content
Join
Team Avatar
Florida State

Former Florida State star named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery•09/30/21
former-florida-state-star-named-nfl-defensive-rookie-of-the-month-asante-samuel-jr
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Former Florida State star defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. has been enjoying his new home in a big way in the National Football League. He was recently named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.

As the son of former NFL legend Asante Samuel, he entered the league with incredibly high expectations, but all he’s done is exceed those expectations with his stellar play. In his first month with the LA Chargers, Samuel has racked up 11 tackles, four passes defended, and two interceptions.

Not only that, he hasn’t allowed a single touchdown this season in 103 coverage snaps.

Check out the graphic from PFF.

Against the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he snatched his second interception of the season.

Samuel has impressed from the second he entered the league

Samuel was blowing away his coaches and teammates early on in fall camp. There was a play in fall camp where he was blanketing Keenan Allen. Check out the clip here.

Keep in mind, Allen is one of the best route runners in the National Football League.

Coming into the 2021 NFL Draft, PFF’S Sam Monson thought the former Florida State product was a top-20 overall prospect. Now, Samuel is making him and many others look brilliant.

Monson talked about Samuel’s T-Step, the foot a corner plants in the turf to come out of their backpedal and drive on the football once the receiver makes his break.

“Samuel has the best and quickest T-step when he comes out of his backpedal to drive toward a receiver breaking in front of him,” PFF’s Sam Monson said. “There is just zero wasted motion to it, and he can completely reverse his entire momentum and drive in that one step. It’s exactly how you are taught to do it, but I can’t remember seeing such a perfect execution of the skill before.”

Truth be told, Asante Samuel Jr. is a masterful technician at the position.

FSU career highlights

He became the second FBS player since 2000 and the first since 2003 to have three interceptions and two fumble recoveries in his team’s first four games last season. In the eight games he played in 2020, he recorded 31 tackles, including one tackle for loss, three interceptions, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. He was named a first team All-ACC selection for the 2020 season.