South Carolina football legend making return from injury on Sunday

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported late on Saturday night that former South Carolina football star Deebo Samuel would return on Sunday to play for his San Francisco 49ers. Samuel missed last week's game with an injury to his calf. He is listed as questionable on the team's official injury report, but according to Schultz's report, the elite playmaker plans to make his return despite the designation.

In the 49ers' first two games of the year, Samuel logged 13 catches for 164 yards. He also crossed the goal line for a rushing touchdown and picked up 10 1st downs. It was a strong start to the 2024 campaign, and now that he is set to return, he will make a run at another Pro Bowl. As the '9ers are without star running back Christian McCaffrey, Samuel's role should be a big one as long as he can handle it physically.

During his South Carolina football career, Deebo Samuel was one of the most electric players ever to wear garnet and black.

Holding the career record for most kickoff returns for touchdown, Samuel housed two kickoffs in 2017 on his only two opportunities of the season, and he is the only player in program history to have a kickoff return score in three separate campaigns. He scored once on special teams in 2016, twice in 2017, and once in 2018. His four scores came over the span of just 26 total return opportunities, meaning he had better than a 15% of taking a kick back for a touchdown from November 19, 2016 to November 3, 2018.

#1 was an elite receiver for Carolina, as well. Ranking in the top-11 among Gamecocks in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, Samuel played in fewer games than every player ahead of him on those statistical lists other than Sidney Rice. Showcasing his versatility, the Palmetto State native also scored 7 touchdowns as a rusher (doing so on just 25 total carries) and threw for a pair of scores, as well.