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The San Francisco 49ers drafted Tyshun Raequan “Deebo” Samuel with the 36th overall pick in the 2nd Round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Here is a quick overview of the topics we’ll cover in this article:
In his rookie season, Samuel snagged 57 catches for 802 yards and 3 TDs, adding 159 rushing yards and 3 additional touchdowns on the ground.
Samuel has proven a dynamic slot receiver, built to bully smaller defensive backs and tacklers but athletic enough to make the big play.
Top Debo Samuel Rookie Cards
We hope you’re hungry because Panini is on the menu.
2019 Deebo Samuel Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket Optic Auto RC #111
Panini consistently produces some of the most original card designs in the collecting space. For my money, the Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket sets are among Panini’s most clever offerings.
Deebo Samuel’s 2019 Rookie Ticket Optic Auto RC #111 exemplifies the set’s clever design scheme. A rounded vertical rectangle on the card’s left side commands your eye. It contains a circular San Francisco 49ers logo and the “Rookie Ticket” banner.
To the right of the rectangle is Deebo, sporting the iconic Niners scarlet and gold, football tucked in the crevasse of his left elbow.
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You quickly realize that the card is the ticket, as a red-and-white banner on the card’s upper border reads “Section 215 Row 60 Seat 19”.
The bottom border includes a red-and-white nameplate reading simply “Deebo Samuel”. Above this nameplate is Samuel’s autograph, a spaghetti-like trail of blue ink whose shape varies from one signature to the next—unlike many players, Deebo has not honed a single autograph style.
Panini has a trusted formula with its Contenders Football Rookie Ticket set, and the variable known as Deebo fits into that formula perfectly.
2019 Deebo Samuel Panini Prizm #346
The phrase “top-shelf NFL rookie card” and the term “Prizm” have become synonymous in collecting circles. Panini Prizms are one of the most rock-solid sets in football collecting today.
Therefore, we feel compelled to include the 2019 Panini Prizm #346 as one of Deebo Samuel’s most in-demand rookie cards.
Samuel’s base Prizm features a black backdrop with a series of bronze and dark red design features. The color and design combinations are genuinely beautiful, with the rounded bronze features being reminiscent of a Depression-era speakeasy.
The card centers Samuel as the prime attraction. He carries the ball in a red-and-gold glove, tucking it close to his pads. He runs with an upright posture in his home 49ers uni.
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A white inner border, shaped like the top of a chess piece (don’t ask me which one), frames the image of Deebo in motion. The rest of the card is decorated with subtle dot patterns, subtle red accents, and other thoughtful design elements.
The card’s bottom border features Deebo’s nameplate beneath a small Panini Prizm emblem. Like Deebo himself, this base Prizm is a reliable addition to any collector’s roster.
2019 DeeBo Samuel Panini National Treasures RPA /99 #172
We would like to diversity these lists of the top cards for NFL rookies, but Panini truly leaves us no choice—make less stunning cards, Panini, and we’ll be able to include more sports card manufacturers.
Until then, let’s look at the 2019 Deebo Samuel Panini National Treasures Patch Auto RC #172, numbered to 99.
The horizontal layout allows a rectangular player patch to bask in its full glory. The border of that patch is not a lazy rectangle. Instead, square corners atop do not match the diagonal bottom corners. The top border is straight, while the lower border is rounded.
These little differences may seem minor, but the attention to detail exemplifies why Panini’s designs so often transcend the competition. The card screams “premium!”, as most National Treasures do.
Deebo’s photograph sits to the left of the patch, cordoned off by a modified rectangular border. Samuel carries the rock with two hands, a glossy photographic filter-making his image feel like art.
Finally, we get to Deebo’s signature. What a signature it is. His Fettucine-style “Deebo” is an added bonus for collectors who came for the card, but left with one of the wonkiest, most playful autographs in football today.
Investment Outlook
Deebo Samuel is, and probably will continue to be, one of those really good professional football players who will probably never become superstars.
In many senses you can group Samuel with other workman-like slot guys—Tyler Lockett, Chris Godwin, Adam Thielen, and Cole Beasley, to name a few. These guys are productive, underrated, and…unlikely to ever become household names for their on-field play.
The best of the best Deebo Samuel rookie cards have sold for significant sums. Those hoping to swap their Deebo rookie card for a four-figure payday, though, maybe sorely disappointed.
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Of course, circumstances change. Franchises win Super Bowls and unforeseen individual breakouts do occur. Nothing in sports card collecting is written in stone.
As it stands, though, there appears to be a solid ceiling on Deebo’s rookie card value. Appreciation is certainly possible, but do not expect explosive growth when it comes to Deebo.