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Drew Sample

{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}

{{Use American English|date = September 2019}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Drew Sample

| image = Drew Sample (50677890727) (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Sample with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020

| current_team = Cincinnati Bengals

| number = 89

| position = Tight end, fullback

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|4|16}}

| birth_place = Bellevue, Washington, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 260

| high_school = Newport (Bellevue)

| college = Washington (2014–2018)

| draftyear = 2019

| draftround = 2

| draftpick = 52

| pastteams =

| status = Active

| statleague = NFL

| statseason = 2024

| statweek =

| statlabel1 = Receptions

| statvalue1 = 100

| statlabel2 = Receiving yards

| statvalue2 = 730

| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 4

| pfr = SampDr00

}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Jude |first=Adam |date=April 26, 2019 |title=UW tight end Drew Sample selected in second round of NFL draft by Cincinnati Bengals |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-tight-end-drew-sample-selected-in-second-round-by-cincinnati-bengals/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2019 |website=The Seattle Times |publisher=The Seattle Times Company |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427044959/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-tight-end-drew-sample-selected-in-second-round-by-cincinnati-bengals/ |archive-date=April 27, 2019 }}

Throughout his career with the Bengals, Sample has excelled as a blocker and has contributed heavily as both a blocking tight end and fullback.

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.{{Cite web |title=Drew Sample College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/drew-sample-1.html |access-date=February 6, 2022 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Drew Sample |url=https://gohuskies.com/sports/football/roster/drew-sample/6824 |access-date=February 5, 2022 |website=Washington Huskies}}

=College statistics=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Season

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="4"| Receiving

GPGSRecYardsAvgTD
colspan="8" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Washington Huskies}}"| Washington Huskies
2014

| colspan="8"| Redshirt File:Redshirt.svg

2015

| 13 || 7 || 5 || 45 || 9.0 || 2

2016

| 14 || 12 || 9 || 106 || 11.8 || 0

2017

| 10 || 7 || 7 || 84 || 12.0 || 0

2018

| 14 || 14 || 25 || 252 || 10.1 || 3

Career52404648710.65

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 4 3/4

| weight = 255

| dash = 4.71

| ten split = 1.58

| twenty split = 2.73

| shuttle = 4.31

| cone drill = 7.15

| vertical = 33.5

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 7

| arm span = 33 3/8

| hand span = 9 5/8

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=Drew Sample Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/drew-sample/32005341-4d09-3961-4a51-98a97d3cf50f |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1008170&DraftYear=2019 |title=2019 NFL Draft Scout Drew Sample College Football Profile |access-date=June 23, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/103756 |title=Drew Sample 2019 NFL Draft Profile |website=insider.espn.com |access-date=June 23, 2023}}

}}

Sample was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round with the 52nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Marcum |first=Jason |date=April 26, 2019 |title=Bengals select Drew Sample in Round 2 |url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/4/26/18518863/nfl-draft-results-bengals-drew-sample-washington-huskies |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427034258/https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/4/26/18518863/nfl-draft-results-bengals-drew-sample-washington-huskies |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |access-date=September 18, 2019 |website=SB Nation |publisher=Vox Media}} 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.{{Cite web |date=December 7, 2019 |title=Bengals Sign Henderson, Place Sample on Reserve/Injured |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-henderson-place-sample-on-reserve-injured |access-date=February 5, 2022 |website=Bengals.com}} He finished the season with five catches for 30 yards through nine games and two starts.{{Cite web |title=Drew Sample 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SampDr00/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=February 6, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Drew Sample 2020 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SampDr00/gamelog/2020/ |access-date=February 6, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Drew Sample 2021 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SampDr00/gamelog/2021/ |access-date=February 6, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Bengals Roster Moves: Sample Placed on Reserved/Injured List |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-roster-moves-drew-sample-injured-reserve |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Bengals.com}}

On April 14, 2023, Sample re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-roster-moves-drew-sample-re-signed-2023-free-agency|work=Bengals.com|title=Bengals Re-Sign Drew Sample|date=April 14, 2023|accessdate=April 17, 2023}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Irv Smith Jr. Is Doubtful For MNF In Week 3 |url=https://www.rotoballer.com/player-news/irv-smith-jr-is-doubtful-for-mnf-in-week-3/1241815 |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=www.rotoballer.com |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |title=WATCH: Drew Sample Score Key Touchdown In Cincinnati's Win Over Buffalo Sunday Night |url=https://247sports.com/college/washington/article/washington-huskies-football-watch-drew-sample-score-key-touchdown-in-cincinnatis-win-over-buffalo-sunday-night-219683401/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=247Sports |language=en}} 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.{{cite web|title=Bengals Re-Sign Drew Sample|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-roster-moves-drew-sample-re-signed-one-year-2024-season|website=Bengals.com|date=March 11, 2024}}

NFL career statistics

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" |Legend

Bold

|Career best

= Regular season =

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Team

! colspan="2" |Games

! colspan="6" |Receiving

! colspan="2" |Fumbles

GP

!GS

!Tgt

!Rec

!Yds

!Avg

!Lng

!TD

!Fum

!Lost

2019

!CIN

|9

|2

|6

|5

|30

|6.0

|21

|0

|0

|0

2020

!CIN

|16

|13

|53

|40

|349

|8.7

|23

|1

|1

|1

2021

!CIN

|17

|8

|15

|11

|81

|7.4

|19

|0

|0

|0

2022

!CIN

|2

|2

|2

|2

| -2

| -1.0

|2

|0

|0

|0

2023

!CIN

|17

|10

|27

|22

|163

|7.4

|22

|2

|0

|0

2024

!CIN

|14

|12

|16

|14

|80

|5.7

|12

|1

|1

|0

colspan="2" |[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SampDr00.htm Career]

!75

!47

!119

!94

!701

!7.5

!23

!4

!2

!1

= Playoffs =

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Team

! colspan="2" |Games

! colspan="6" |Receiving

! colspan="2" |Fumbles

GP

!GS

!Tgt

!Rec

!Yds

!Avg

!Lng

!TD

!Fum

!Lost

2021

!CIN

|4

|2

|2

|1

|4

|4.0

|4

|0

|0

|0

colspan="2" |[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SampDr00.htm Career]

!4

!2

!2

!1

!4

!4.0

!4

!0

!0

!0

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons}}

  • [https://www.bengals.com/team/players-roster/drew-sample/ Cincinnati Bengals bio]
  • [https://gohuskies.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6824 Washington Huskies bio]

{{Bengals2019DraftPicks}}

{{Cincinnati Bengals roster navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sample, Drew}}

Category:1996 births

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Bellevue, Washington

Category:American football tight ends

Category:Washington Huskies football players

Category:Cincinnati Bengals players