Player
Drew Sample
TE
Establishes Sample's career profile: a pure blocking specialist who spent an unusually long tenure with one team despite minimal receiving production.
2nd-round 2019 (#52) by CIN. The blocking-first TE who spent his entire 7-year career in Cincinnati.
MilestoneCareer regular-season totals (2019–2025)
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Seasons | 2019–2025 |
| Receptions | 115 |
| Receiving Yards | 836 |
| Receiving TDs | 5 |
| Y/R | 7.3 |
| Catch Rate | 79.3% |
Why it matters. Establishes Sample's career profile: a pure blocking specialist who spent an unusually long tenure with one team despite minimal receiving production.
2020 was his only real receiving season. Every other year: fewer than 22 catches.
RareSample year-over-year (all seasons)
| Year | Tgts | Rec | Yds | TDs | Catch% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 0 | 83% |
| 2020 | 53 | 40 | 349 | 1 | 76% |
| 2021 | 15 | 11 | 81 | 0 | 73% |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 100% |
| 2023 | 27 | 22 | 163 | 2 | 82% |
| 2024 | 22 | 20 | 109 | 1 | 91% |
| 2025 | 20 | 15 | 106 | 1 | 75% |
Receptions by season
| Season | Receptions |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 40 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2024 | 20 |
| 2025 | 15 |
Why it matters. Shows the extreme spike-and-dip career arc of a blocking specialist who only briefly took on a full receiving role, and includes the often-omitted 2022 IR season.
2022: IR after 2 weeks. 2023: bounced back with a career-high 2 TDs. The blocking TE who kept coming back.
SplitSample post-2021 arc
| Year | Status | Rec | Yds | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | IR (2 wks) | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 2023 | Returned | 22 | 163 | 2 |
| 2024 | Active | 20 | 109 | 1 |
| 2025 | Active | 15 | 106 | 1 |
Why it matters. The IR + comeback arc is a defining chapter of Sample's career that most fans miss. It reframes his longevity as resilience rather than quiet persistence.
In the 2021 SB run, Uzomah was CIN's pass-catching TE (49-493-5). Sample was the blocker (11-81-0).
ComparisonCIN TE split — 2021 Super Bowl season
| Player | Rec | Yds | TDs | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Uzomah | 49 | 493 | 5 | Pass catcher |
| Drew Sample | 11 | 81 | 0 | Blocker |
| Mitchell Wilcox | 3 | 16 | 0 | Reserve |
Why it matters. Puts Sample's modest stat line in context: the CIN offense specifically designed his role around blocking during their first Super Bowl season.
His 7.3 career Y/R is the lowest among all TEs with 100+ career receptions in the database.
AnomalyLowest career Y/R — TEs with 100+ catches
| Player | Rec | Yds | Y/R |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Sample | 115 | 836 | 7.3 |
| Geoff Swaim | 111 | 853 | 7.7 |
| Nick Boyle | 121 | 1,049 | 8.7 |
| Lee Smith | 73 | 523 | 7.2* |
Why it matters. Confirms Sample as the statistical floor for a TE who actually accumulated catches across multiple seasons — a measurable marker of his blocking-first identity.
FanIQ answers any NFL stats question with receipts, on your phone.
Get FanIQ freeGet it on Google Play