| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1996-06-07)June 7, 1996 (age 29) Allen, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Allen |
| College | Arizona State |
| NFL draft | 2018: 6th round, 178th overall pick |
| Career history | |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Awards and highlights | |
Stats atPro Football Reference  | |
Christian C. Sam (born June 7, 1996) is an American professionalfootballlinebacker. He playedcollege football atArizona State, in 2017 leading thePac-12 with 127 tackles, while also leading the Pac-12 with 87 solo tackles (4th-most in theNCAA). He has been a member of theNew England Patriots,Miami Dolphins,San Francisco 49ers,Detroit Lions,Tampa Bay Bandits,New Orleans Breakers, andArlington Renegades.
Sam is a native ofAllen, Texas, a northern suburb ofDallas, and is ofNigerian descent.[1] His father is Prince Christian Sam and his mother is Veronica, and he is the youngest of four children.[2][3] His brother Prince playedcornerback for theBulldogs football team at Louisiana Tech.[3][4]
Sam attendedAllen High School ('14) in Allen, Texas, where he played oppositequarterbackKyler Murray, and led the Allen Eagles football team to the Texas 5A Division I State Championships in 2012 and 2013.[5][6] He was named the Defensive MVP of the 2013 Texas state championship game after tallying 5.5tackles, asack, and a forcedfumble.[6] That season he was also named 10-5A First Team All-District.[7]Rivals.com rated him the No. 27linebacker recruit in the nation, and almost every major recruiting service considered him a three-star recruit.[6][8]
Sam committed to play football for theArizona State Sun Devils in August 2013. He chose the Sun Devils over nearly 20 other schools, includingOklahoma,Baylor, andTexas Tech.[8][9] The Sun Devils primarily used him as aninside linebacker, though he did also play snaps as an off-the-lineoutside linebacker and as anedge rusher.[10]
As a true freshman in 2014, Sam played in all 13 of Arizona State's games. He tallied 16 tackles, oneinterception, one sack, and one pass deflection.[11]
In 2015, as a sophomore, Sam became a full-time starter and once again appeared in all 13 of the team's games, posting 98 tackles (7th in thePac-12 Conference; 6.5 for loss), including 68 solo tackles (5th in the Pac-12), one interception, three sacks, two pass deflections, and two forced fumbles (6th in the Pac-12).[12][13][6]
Sam suffered a season-ending high right ankle injury in Arizona State's first game of the 2016 season.[14][15][3][16] He elected to take a medicalredshirt.
As a redshirt junior in 2017, Sam played in 12 games. He led the Pac-12 with 127 tackles, while also leading the Pac-12 with 87 solo tackles (4th-most in theNCAA).[12] He also tallied one interception, 9.5tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass deflection, and one forced fumble.[17] He was named First Team All-League by theAssociated Press, and Honorable Mention All-Pac-12.[3] In four seasons at Arizona State, Sam made 240 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, seven pass deflections, three interceptions and three forced fumbles in 40 games.[18]
After the season, he declared for the2018 NFL draft.[19][14]
| 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 | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 244 lb (111 kg) | 31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.75 s | 1.63 s | 2.74 s | 4.20 s | 7.03 s | 32 in (0.81 m) | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) | 28 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[20][21] | ||||||||||||
At theNFL Scouting Combine, he had 28 reps in the 225-pound (102-kg)bench press, the most of anyone at the linebacker position.[3][22] Sports analystLance Zierlein wrote: "he has enough talent to become a solid NFL backup who can step into starting reps if needed."[23] Scouts remarked on his "active athleticism."[24] Coach and ASU defensive coordinatorPhil Benett said: "He's definitely an NFL guy ... he's playing with speed, he's playing with physicality. He does multiple skills; he stops the run, he tackles well, he blitzes, and he covers."[14]
TheNew England Patriots selected Sam in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft on April 28, 2018.[25] He left ASU with a year of eligibility remaining, though he had graduated early and already earned his diploma.[3][26]
On September 1, 2018, after playing three preseason games in which he had 12 tackles and an interception, Sam was placed on the team'sinjured reserve list at the end of preseason during the team'sSuper Bowl LIII season.[27][28][29] He was part of the team when they defeated theLos Angeles Rams inSuper Bowl LIII.[30] A year later he was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.[31]
On September 2, 2019, Sam was signed to thepractice squad of theMiami Dolphins.[32] He was released on September 11.[33][34]
On November 5, 2019, Sam was signed to theSan Francisco 49ers practice squad.[35] He was released on December 10, 2019.[36]
On December 17, 2019, Sam was signed to theDetroit Lions practice squad.[37] On December 30, 2019, Sam was signed to a reserve/future contract.[38] He was waived on August 9, 2020.[39]
Sam was selected by theTampa Bay Bandits of theUnited States Football League (USFL) in the 21st round of the2022 USFL draft.[40] He was released on June 7, 2022.[41]
Sam was claimed off waivers by theNew Orleans Breakers of the USFL on the same day, June 7, 2022.[42] He played in nine games for the Breakers, and had 54 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and an interception.[1]
On July 8, 2022, Sam signed with theDallas Cowboys of the NFL.[43] Sam was the first USFL-to-NFL signing of the modern era.[44] He waswaived/injured on August 23, 2022, and placed on injured reserve.[45] He was released on an injury release on August 25.[46]
On December 8, 2023, Sam signed with theArlington Renegades of theXFL.[47] He was placed on the team's suspended list on March 19, 2024, and waived two days later.[48][49]
On May 14, 2024, Sam was signed by theHouston Roughnecks of theUnited Football League (UFL).[50] He was released by the Roughnecks on July 23.[51]