Frank Gore names former South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel best in the league

San Francisco 49ers legend Frank Gore commented on Twitter with a definitive statement about who was the best receiver in the NFL right now. Despite not being on the 49ers since 2014, the former Miami standout still kept his eye on his former team and Deebo Samuel — a player that Gore believes is the best all-around player in the entire league.

Frank Gore declares Deebo Samuel best receiver in NFL

“Best WR and best player all around in the NFL is my guy [Deebo Samuel],” said Gore on Twitter. The former 49ers star added to his comment with the hashtag “FTTB” to remind everyone of his NFL allegiance still — “Faithful to the Bay.”

While Deebo Samuel faces a contract negotiation that could make him one of the highest paid players in the league in just his fourth season after leaving South Carolina for the pros, he’s got at least one huge name in the franchise’s history supporting him. Few players are featured as heavily in an offense as Samuel was last season for the 49ers, as he gained 1,770 total yards with six receiving touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns.

Now San Francisco is looking at a future where they either give Samuel an incredible contract or possibly trade their star away — a decision that would not be well received by most 49ers fans. If Gore’s voice has any weight around his former team’s offices, there’s one more person pushing them to give Samuel a contract he deserves.

Gore began his NFL career with San Francisco in 2005 and started 134 career games with the 49ers alone in his ten years with the team. Gore went on to play another six seasons in the NFL with four other teams, finally retiring after 16 years as a running back at the professional level. Gore’s incredible longevity and work-horse usage as a running back earned him the third-most career rushes and rushing yards in NFL history, with 3,735 rushes for an even 16,000 yards.

The only other player in the top-15 in both categories who is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is Adrian Peterson, who is not yet eligible either. While he didn’t get to finish his career with the 49ers, his voice still carries tremendous weight and calling Samuel the best all-around player in the league is a clear indicator that fans of the team want to keep him on the team.