New England Patriots' Bill Belichick Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
According to a report by Sports Illustrated, the 49ers were gifted Deebo Samuel in 2019 thanks to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick ignoring his scouts and wanting N’Keal Harry instead.
The San Francisco 49ers got their hands on a budding star in Round 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft when they selected former South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel at No. 36 overall.
Samuel went on to become one of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s most vaunted offensive weapons during the Niners’ Super Bowl run that year, and Samuel figures to be a dynamic counterpart to a pass-catching tandem featuring tight end George Kittle and second-year wideout Brandon Aiyuk entering 2021.