Curtis Samuel Samuel entered his second season as a pro with things to prove regarding both his hands and his feet.
Samuel deserves a hand for the feats he pulled off in 2018.
The talented wideout entered the season aiming to bounce back from a serious ankle injury suffered as a rookie, and given his lack of experience as a receiver out of Ohio State, he bought a JUGS machine in the offseason to work on his hands.
Based on his preseason performance, Samuel appeared poised to provide answers in those areas when out of the blue a medical concern sidelined him for the first month of the regular season. His return against the Giants was triumphant and highlight worthy, with his 25-yard catch and run into the end zone ranking right near the top in terms of the season's most exciting plays.
A few weeks later against the Buccaneers, Samuel showcased it all: first with a weaving 33-yard touchdown on a reverse and later with a stretching 19-yard touchdown grab.
He ended the season on a high note, reeling in a 53-yard bomb for a score to help Carolina defeat New Orleans in the finale.
Despite ranking fourth on the team among wide receivers with 39 catches, Samuel paced the group with five receiving touchdowns and also scored twice on run plays. Perhaps he only scratched the surface of what he can do, but that type of per-play production will help the Panthers regardless of how many snaps Samuel earns in the future.
