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Drew Sample
American football player (born 1996) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Drew Sample (born April 16, 1996) is an American professional football tight end and fullback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.[1]
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Throughout his career with the Bengals, Sample has excelled as a blocker and has contributed heavily as both a blocking tight end and fullback.
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College career
Sample caught 46 passes for 487 yards and five touchdowns in his four seasons at Washington. As a senior, he caught 25 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns, earning him an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 Conference team.[2][3]
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Professional career
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Sample was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round with the 52nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.[7] He started the season as the third tight end on the depth chart, behind C. J. Uzomah and Tyler Eifert. He made his first career catch in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers. He was placed on injured reserve on December 7, 2019, with an ankle injury.[8] He finished the season with five catches for 30 yards through nine games and two starts.[9]
Sample received significantly more playing time in 2020 due to an Uzomah suffering a season-ending injury. Sample played in all 16 games and started in 13. He caught 40 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown, in Week 17 against the Houston Texans.[10]
In the 2021 season, Sample appeared in all 17 games, starting in 8 of them. He finished the regular season with 11 receptions for 81 yards.[11] In the Bengals' playoff run en route to Super Bowl LVI, he recorded 1 catch for 4 yards in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Sample primarily contributed to the Bengals as a blocking specialist.
Sample started the first two games of the 2022 season, where he was once again heavily used as a blocker. In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, Sample suffered a season-ending knee injury and was placed on injured reserve on October 3, 2022.[12]
On April 14, 2023, Sample re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract.[13] He was named the second tight end on the depth chart behind Irv Smith Jr., but saw starting time due to Smith injuring his hamstring in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens.[14] Sample caught two touchdown passes in 2023, one in Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills, and the other in Week 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, being his first touchdowns in three years.[15] Sample finished the season with 163 yards, 22 receptions, and a touchdown. Sample was again a key blocker for the Bengals and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the eighth best blocking tight end in the league during the 2023 NFL season. In addition to his role as a blocking tight end, Sample was also utilized as a fullback.
On March 11, 2024, Sample signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension with the Bengals through the 2026 season.[16]
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NFL career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
References
External links
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