Drew Sample

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Drew Sample
Sample with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020
No. 89  Cincinnati Bengals
PositionsTight end, fullback
Roster statusActive
Personal information
Born (1996-04-16) April 16, 1996 (age 30)
Bellevue, Washington, U.S.
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High schoolNewport (Bellevue)
CollegeWashington (2014–2018)
NFL draft2019: 2nd round, 52nd overall pick
Career history
Career NFL statistics as of Week 13, 2025
Receptions107
Receiving yards768
Receiving touchdowns5
Stats at Pro Football Reference
Coaching profile at Pro Football ReferenceLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

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.[1]

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

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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.[2][3]

College statistics

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Season Games Receiving
GP GS Rec Yards Avg TD
Washington Huskies
2014 Redshirt Redshirt
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
Career 52 40 46 487 10.6 5

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 4+34 in
(1.95 m)
255 lb
(116 kg)
33+38 in
(0.85 m)
9+58 in
(0.24 m)
4.71 s 1.58 s 2.73 s 4.31 s 7.15 s 33.5 in
(0.85 m)
9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)
All values from NFL Combine[4][5][6]

Sample was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round with the 52nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.[7] 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.[8] He finished the season with five catches for 30 yards through nine games and two starts.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11] 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.[12]

On April 14, 2023, Sample re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15] 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.[16]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Bold Career best

Regular season

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Year Team Games Receiving 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
Career 75 47 119 94 701 7.5 23 4 2 1

Playoffs

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Year Team Games Receiving Fumbles
GP GS Tgt Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2021 CIN 4 2 2 1 4 4.0 4 0 0 0
Career 4 2 2 1 4 4.0 4 0 0 0

References

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