Deebo Samuel is a wide receiver but knows a lot about running the football. That's because the San Francisco 49ers star is asked to do everything within head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, including lining up at running back.
And it helps to go against the 49ers defense in practice.
The unit finished as the top-ranked defense last year, proving to be a headache for the opposition. That is an advantage for the 49ers offense, which faces the No. 1 unit daily in training camp. The phrase "iron sharpens iron" seems to fit while watching practices in Santa Clara.
Samuel loves the physical matchups in those practices.
"If we can run the ball a little bit on this defense, we can run it on anybody because just looking at that defensive line and on to the linebackers and everybody else. We got a real physical defense," Samuel told NFL Network on Thursday. "So if we can run the ball on them, I feel like we can run it on anybody."
That physicality is felt throughout the entire roster. That is a credit to what Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have built over the years.
Lynch, in his own conversation with NFL Network, shared the philosophy of how the 49ers roster has been put together and what types of players fit within that philosophy.
"Do they love football? Are they dependable? Are they accountable?" Lynch said. "Contagious competitiveness is something we talk about. And when you start filling the roster with guys like Fred Warner, and George Kittle, and Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufunga, and Trent Williams, and guys like that, not only are they really talented football players, they all love the game, and they want to be great. And when you start doing that with some of your best players, and they're your hardest workers, it permeates."
Players like Samuel feel that passion throughout the locker room.
"I think it's the culture and the guys that we bring in because you just look at it from top to bottom, from [Hufanga] to Fred, and all the defensive guys that we got ... a lot of pads clacking," Samuel said. "So whenever we (the offensive players) get to hit on other opponents, [they're] like, 'Wow, why are they playing so hard?' And it's just what we do."
The receiver has been happy with this year's training camp, calling it the best he's been a part of. Everything remains a work in progress, but the players believe the hard work will pay off once the regular season starts.
"Just honing in on the details, everybody being the best they can be and just going out there and just listening to Kyle because he [does] a great job of putting everybody in the right positions to make plays," Samuel said.
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