Why Landon Samson could be the underrated star of 2022 Gamecocks recruiting class

Landon Samson broke off the line, dipped behind a waiting linebacker and ran toward the back right corner of the end zone.

Darting away from a defender, Clemson commit quarterback Cade Klubnik flipped a pass to a waiting Samson. There, Samson dropped to his knees, rolled once and popped up off the turf with a touchdown grab in hand.

One of two passes he caught on the drive, Samson added a highlight-reel grab to the already star-studded film from the 2021 Adidas All-American Bowl played in San Antonio last month.

“He can stretch the field, but he’s a technician as a route runner,” On3.com national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman told The State in December. “He’s able to matriculate outside the numbers — which is something that a lot of people have to get coached into — and he’s pretty advanced at that already.”

South Carolina has rarely, if ever, dipped into Texas in the recruiting rankings era. Between 2009 and 2021, only two players from the Lone Star State signed with USC.

One of two Texas signees in South Carolina’s 2022 class, Samson’s polish as a route-runner and his time in one of the state’s powerhouse programs could find him on the field as early as this fall.

“(I) just love his competitive spirit,” head coach Shane Beamer said at his early signing period press conference in December. “He believes he’s the best player on the field every time he steps out there. He’s got an edge about himself.”

Samson’s indoctrination into Texas high school football

Samson flew through the air off the sidelines at the Southlake Carroll practice field.

Rather than connect with the ground or any bodies along the sidelines, Samson continued on his flight. The then-freshman ended his voyage crashing into a fence.

Welcome to Texas high school football.

“I caught a stop route or something and I ran out of bounds and I just got de-cleated into the fence,” Samson recounted jokingly.

Southlake Carroll sits in rarefied air among Texas’ elite programs. It’s a Division I football factory and boasts eight state titles since 1988.

Former Alabama quarterback and national champion Greg McElroy played his high school ball at the school. So too did Missouri star and longtime NFL signal-caller Chase Daniel.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, one of Samson’s childhood best friends and among the highest-rated QB recruits in the modern era, also played for the Dragons.

“It’s like playing in college, but in high school,” Samson said of Texas high school football. “... You’ve got packed stadiums with 20,000 people whatever day we end up playing that week. You walk around the city and everybody recognizes you.”

The youngest of three boys began football in the area’s feeder programs after the family moved from California to the Dallas area.

Back then, Samson was a quarterback. He quips he wasn’t much of a passer. Designed runs and jet sweeps were his game, his track-like speed helping him torch pee-wee defenses.

Ewers — who couldn’t be reached for this story — eventually took the reins at quarterback, while Samson shifted out to receiver. The two quickly developed a chemistry after Samson moved into Southlake Carroll’s district.

“We played together and just destroyed everybody,” Samson said. “We literally just ran fades. It worked every single time up until high school and that’s all we did.”

Southlake Carroll head coach Riley Dodge also took notice.

Shortly after landing the Dragons’ head coaching job in 2018, Dodge received a video from someone in the community. It was a clip of Samson running the 100-meter dash as a middle-schooler.

“I was like, ‘Good lord,’ ” Dodge recounted through a laugh. “Golly, I was excited that he was in our feeder program and that I was going to get the opportunity to work with him one day.”

Earning playing time at Southlake Carroll is difficult. Earning that time as a freshman is rarer still. Samson, though, was called up to varsity as a freshman. He held his own despite obvious physical disadvantages from his fully grown upperclassmen teammates.

There were days — like that afternoon he crashed into a fence — that Samson was tossed around in practice. He grew frustrated at times. His dad, Jon, said Landon contemplated quitting football entirely.

It never quite got that far.

“Every athlete kind of goes through it, right? Just trying to find what your purpose is and your identity in football, or sport or anything,” Dodge told The State. “That’s what happened to him. (He was) kind of stressed out a little bit, but once he found the love for the game it let him to start free-flowing and having fun. That’s when he relaxed and kind of let the game come to him.”

How a Texas recruit became a South Carolina Gamecock

There’s always been a general ease to Samson’s ability on the field. He’s energetic but never showy.

Samson’s numbers speak for themselves. He recorded 1,281 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior, averaging almost 100 yards receiving per game.

Doubling as a track athlete during the spring, Samson’s speed showed live and on tape. His route running was methodical and clean. As far as high-schoolers go, there aren’t many that got in and out of breaks as fluidly as he could.

“He’s a freak athlete,” Southlake Carroll receivers coach Boomer Collins told The State. “If the ball is in his vicinity, he’s going to come down with it and he’s going to make a play once the ball is in his hands.”

Samson shined but didn’t immediately garner recruiting interest. Ewers snapped up ample attention as the No. 1-rated player in the 2021 class after he reclassified. As did 2021 receiver Brady Boyd, a Minnesota signee who’s since transferred to Texas Tech.

Samson’s classmates R.J. Maryland — who decommitted from Boston College last month — and Wisconsin pledge Ayvonne Jones also received their share of interest.

“It was like a slow sizzle,” Samson said of his recruiting process. “And then it all just hit at once.”

South Carolina receivers coach Justin Stepp maintained connections in the Dallas area from his time coaching pass-catchers at SMU and is close friends with Dodge. Stepp’s wife, Brooke, is also a Lone Star State native, a Texas alumna and previously worked in the recruiting department at SMU.

Helping Samson where he could, Dodge called Stepp and suggested he take a look. Stepp was intrigued almost immediately. An offer followed in June.

Samson committed to South Carolina by the end of the month — picking USC over reported offers from Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, UCF and Boise State, among others.

“He had visited other schools and he told us candidly, ‘I don’t see myself playing there,’ ” Jon Samson said. “Landing (at South Carolina), hearing ‘Sandstorm’ come on, he’s like, ‘I want to run through a frickin wall.’ ”

Leaving the Lone Star State for Columbia

Beamer smirked as he gripped the left side of the lectern inside the Long Family Football Operations Center during his early signing period press conference.

Asked about South Carolina’s dips into Texas in the 2022 class, Beamer quite literally beamed at the thought of what Samson might bring.

“He’s gonna be one of those guys here in a few years, you’re gonna look up and he’s gonna catch like a million balls in his time here at Carolina just because he knows how to get open,” Beamer said.

A shoulder injury limited Samson to just 10 games as a senior. He still netted 864 yards and 13 touchdowns in four fewer contests than the year prior.

In a meeting with fellow South Carolina signee Peyton Williams’ Rockwall-Heath team on Sept. 2, Samson finished the night with a season-high 153 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. Southlake Carroll escaped the night with a one-point win when it blocked a last-second field-goal attempt.

“I thought Landon was the best player on the field,” said Spiegelman, who attended the game. “And that definitely was not the impression that I had going in.”

Beamer said there was some concern Samson might decommit if Big 12 schools gave him legitimate interest down the stretch. TCU and new head coach Sonny Dykes offered Samson shortly after the former took over in Fort Worth. Samson also received three 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions in favor of Nebraska prior to his South Carolina pledge.

Landon and Jon said there was always a comfort with USC. The Darla Moore School of Business piqued Landon’s academic interests. A trust also existed between the family, Stepp and Beamer that outweighed a new offer or two.

“There’s no greater compliment from a father than entrusting your son to other men you believe share your values, morals and character,” Jon told Beamer in a text that has since been shared with Stepp. “You’ve earned that trust and I’m grateful Landon will be mentored and coached by men of character and guidance.”

Samson hoped to enroll midyear but pushed his Columbia arrival date back to the summer after the family talked it over. He also earned his fourth recruiting star on Rivals in December.

His play in the Adidas All-American Bowl gave the nation a glimpse at his ability. Starting this fall, Samson may be picking himself off the field in the back right corner of the Williams-Brice Stadium end zone with a Spencer Rattler touchdown pass in hand.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 5:00 AM.

Ben Portnoy

The State

Ben Portnoy is The State’s South Carolina Gamecocks football beat writer. He’s a 10-time Associated Press Sports Editors award honoree and has earned recognition from the Mississippi Press Association and the National Sports Media Association. Portnoy previously covered Mississippi State for the Columbus Commercial Dispatch and Indiana football for the Journal Gazette in Ft. Wayne, IN.