{{Short description|American football player (born 2008)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox college football player |name= Demetres Samuel |image= |image_size= |caption= |school= Syracuse Orange |currentnumber=1 |currentposition=Cornerback / Wide receiver |class=Freshman |major= |birth_date={{birth date and age|2008|4|2}}<ref name=birthday>{{cite tweet|user=MaxPreps|number=1907532504002912638|title=Happy 17th Birthday to Syracuse freshman Demetres Samuel Jr. 😳👏 @CuseFootball@demetres_jr|access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref> |birth_place= |heightft=6 |heightin=1 |weight_lb=190 |highlights= |highschool=Heritage (Palm Bay, Florida) |pastschools= *Syracuse (2025–present) |bowlgames= |espn= }}
'''Demetres Samuel Jr.''' (born April 2, 2008)<ref name=birthday /> is an American college football cornerback and wide receiver for the Syracuse Orange.
==Early life== Samuel attended Heritage High School, where, as a freshman, he totaled 35 tackles and seven pass deflections.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=Cam |title=Florida Gators Add Second DB Commit on Wednesday |url=https://www.si.com/college/florida/recruiting/florida-gators-add-second-db-commit-on-wednesday-01j45j2rp85k |work=Florida Gators on SI |date=July 31, 2024 |publisher=SI.com |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref> As a sophomore, he recorded 19 tackles and five interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCallum |first1=Brian |title=Heritage star reclassifies, commits to Florida football |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2024/08/02/heritages-demetres-samuel-reclassifies-commits-to-florida/74626288007/ |website=Florida Today |date=August 2, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref> Coming out of high school, Samuel was rated as a four-star recruit, the 18th overall safety, the 32nd overall player in Florida, and the 207th overall player in the class of 2025.<ref name="on3">{{cite web |last1=Ginnan |first1=Collin |title=4-star safety Demetres Samuel flips commitment back from Florida to Syracuse |url=https://www.on3.com/news/4-star-safety-demetres-samuel-flips-commitment-back-from-florida-to-syracuse/ |website=On3.com |date=September 30, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref> He received offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Nebraska, Syracuse, Kentucky, and Auburn.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gamble |first1=Andrew |title=College football's 'new Travis Hunter' turned down 26 schools for surprise choice |url=https://www.themirror.com/sport/american-football/travis-hunter-syracuse-demetres-samuel-1068552 |website=The Mirror US |date=April 3, 2025 |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref> Samuel initially committed to play college football for the Syracuse Orange before he switched his commitment to the Florida Gators and eventually flipped back to Syracuse, all within a six-month span.<ref name=on3/>
==College career== Heading into his freshman season, he is supposed to start at cornerback, while also playing some wide receiver, as a 17 year old.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carlson |first1=Chris |title=Is Syracuse football looking for its own Travis Hunter in Demetres Samuel Jr.? 'This is the real deal' |url=https://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2025/03/is-syracuse-football-looking-for-its-own-travis-hunter-in-demetres-samuel-jr-this-is-the-real-deal.html |work=Syracuse.com |date=March 26, 2025 |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Carlson |first=Chris |date=April 3, 2025 |title=Fran Brown says 16-year-old Demetres Samuel Jr. should start at corner for Syracuse football next year |url=https://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2025/04/fran-brown-says-16-year-old-demetres-samuel-jr-should-start-at-corner-for-syracuse-football-next-year.html |access-date=April 5, 2025 |work=Syracuse.com}}</ref>
Samuel was named by ESPN as one of top 10 incoming freshmen and by On3 as a True Freshman All-American.<ref name="2easy">{{cite news |last1=Andrews |first1=Cooper |title=2 EASY: 17-year-old Demetres Samuel Jr. is college football’s next 2-way phenom |url=https://dailyorange.com/2025/08/syracuse-football-demetres-samuel-college-football-2-way-phenom/ |access-date=August 30, 2025 |work=The Daily Orange |date=August 28, 2025}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://cuse.com/sports/football/roster/demetres-samuel-jr-/24517 Syracuse Orange bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuell, Demetres}} Category:2008 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Brevard County, Florida Category:People from Palm Bay, Florida Category:American football cornerbacks Category:American football wide receivers Category:Syracuse Orange football players