Kinlaw to the 49ers. And Deebo called it
At one point when they both wore South Carolina football jerseys, defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw was asked what wide receiver Deebo Samuel couldn’t do. The lineman’s answer: “Block me.”
The pair is about to reunite as San Francisco 49ers — and Samuel had something to say about it.
And according to San Jose Mercury News beat writer Cam Inman, the receiver from the Upstate predicted it.
“Deebo called me the other day and told me I was coming to San Francisco,” Inman tweeted.
Samuel and Kinlaw played together in 2017 and 2018. Samuel was lost for much of that first season because of injury, which brought him back for another season. In 2018, injuries limited Kinlaw, which played a role in him returning for a senior season.
In 2019, Samuel put up 802 yards and 57 receptions, helping lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Kinlaw made the most of his return, earning All-American honors and getting picked 14th overall in the draft on Thursday.
And Samuel was just part of a chorus of Gamecocks wishing Samuel well, a group that included Jake Bentley and Stephon Gilmore.
An NFL Hall of Famer even had some kind words.
Other Gamecocks taken by San Francisco since 2010:
2011: Chris Culliver, third round
2013: Marcus Lattimore, fourth round
2014: Bruce Ellington, fourth round
2015: Mike Davis, fourth round
2015: Busta Anderson, seventh round
2019: Deebo Samuel, second round
2020: Javon Kinlaw, first round
This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 10:48 PM.
