DK Metcalf and Deebo Samuel have been divisional foes since they entered the NFL in 2019. But what if we told you they almost became teammates on draft night?
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Seattle Seahawks “intended to” take Metcalf and Samuel in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Not only that, but they had the means to do it — or so they thought.
Schefter notes Seattle trading out of the first round that year with the New York Giants in preparation for a subsequent deal for Samuel. The insider then mentions the Seahawks having a swap with the Las Vegas Raiders “worked out” to move up two spots. And, of course, the one-time All-Pro was “the target.”
Seahawks fans will hate the new report on Seattle’s failed NFL Draft plan to pair DK Metcalf with Deebo Samuel
As the story goes, the Raiders ultimately elected to ship the No. 35 overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars (who selected offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor). Why, you might ask? That remains unclear “to this day,” according to Schefter.
” … the Seahawks don’t know why the Raiders reneged on the deal,” Schefter states. Then, the rest was history.
Samuel heard his name called one pick later by the San Francisco 49ers. So, after getting sniped by their NFC West rivals, the Seahawks traded down again. Seattle sent the No. 37 draft choice to the Carolina Panthers for Nos. 47 and 77.
Seattle landed safety Marquis Blair with the better of the two choices they received from Carolina. Moreover, they re-routed the 77th pick to the New England Patriots and got No. 64 as part of the transaction, which they spent on Metcalf.
Alas, Seattle’s plan never came to fruition. But they surely had an exciting and great idea in mind. Metcalf and Samuel are both great players with complementary skill sets. The former is an explosive, big-play deep threat. Meanwhile, the latter thrives more in the short-to-intermediate range and as an after-the-catch creator.
Conversely, Metcalf and Samuel arguably wouldn’t have blossomed into the stars they are today when fighting for shares of the same pie. They’ve both been high-end target-commanding wide receivers virtually instantly upon joining the league. Could their competition for looks have hampered their respective development and ascension?
Regardless, we’ll never know, though it’s fun to imagine an alternate universe where Metcalf and Samuel thrive in Seattle.