New RB Samuels known for versatility

for an average of 6.1 yards per carry. He also scored 16 touchdowns in 2017.

“His versatility is second to none,’’ said Eddie Faulkner, Samuels’ position coach at N.C. State. “We did so much with him. There was just nothing he couldn’t do for us; if it was running, catching, blocking, he’s a special player in that regard.”

Samuels stands 6 feet and weighs 225 pounds. Chase Goodbread of NFL.com ranked him 71st among the draft picks who can make an impact with their teams as a rookie.

“The value in a kid like him, for a coach, is you can use him in a lot of different areas like N.C. State did,’’ said James Saxon, who coaches the Steelers’ backs.

“He is going to get an opportunity to do everything we do in our room in terms of being a running back . ... The kid answers the bell in a lot of different ways. You can also see him run the ball in different situations.”

Samuels’ main competition behind Bell will be James Conner, a 2017 thirdround pick who had surgery in December to repair a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee. The others are veterans Stevan Ridley and Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Conner was the top backup last season until his injury. Ridley is a sevenyear veteran who replaced Conner for the final two games and re-signed for this season. He has 3,022 career yards rushing (4.2 average). Toussaint has been with the Steelers or on their practice squad since 2015.

Usually, they keep three halfbacks plus fullback Roosevelt Nix. But then Samuels’ versatility might allow them to keep two tight ends instead of three.

Explaining Samuels’ versatility is like Bubba telling Forrest Gump the many ways to serve shrimp.

“He’s played in the slot and out of the backfield in some of those wing sets,” Faulkner began. “He’s been a running back. He’s played outside at times as a receiver. He’s put his hand down as a tight end in both the run game and passing game. He can really do it all. He played quarterback for us in goal-line packages, a wildcat quarterback in short yardage.

“When we needed a play, he was the guy we’d go to.”

Said the Steelers’ Saxon: “He’ll be able to play on third down. He’ll be able to catch the ball and create some matchup problems for linebackers. In this game today, you know, third downs, a lot of teams are using a sixth DB to come in the box to cover an athlete, and that’s what he is.” Does that sound familiar? “Obviously, Le’Veon Bell is one of the best running backs in the NFL,’’ Faulkner said. “There are things Jaylen will have to develop as a player, but when we’re talking about his skill set, I think they are very similar. He’s a very similar runner in terms of his patience, and very similar as a receiver in terms of what he can do spreading out and playing in space.

“I do think with all my heart, the Steelers got a better player than what they may even realize.”