A must watch whether you’re a football fan or not. The relationship @RashaadSamples has with his dad is a special one. https://t.co/k2RfUV9W9k
— Anthony Totri (@Anthony_Totri) December 29, 2022
Ra’Shaad Samples enters his second season as ASU’s wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator. The Dallas, Texas native has brought his coaching and recruiting talents to the Sun Devils, putting an emphasis on #Texas2Tempe. He is currently in the top-10 247 Sports’ recruiter rankings among Big 12 assistant coaches and responsible for six of the 17 commits from Texas who signed in the 2024 recruiting class.
“I think we have a staff that’s full of guys who are going to be head coaches,” Dillingham says. “When you think of Coach Samples, this is a guy who’s been an assistant head coach in college football from the time he was 26. He’s been a position coach – the youngest position coach in the NFL. This guy will be the youngest head coach in college football someday. It will happen. There is no doubt in my mind he’s going to be. He’s ready for it. He could go run a program today.”
During the 2023 season, Samples oversaw the development of Elijhah Badger, an All Pac-12 Honorable Mention recipient, who had 713 receiving yards, 65 catches and forced the most missed tackles in college football. Badger ended the season as third in the Pac-12 with an average of 122 all purpose yards per game. The 2023 season proved that the future of the receiver room is bright under the direction of Samples.
Sun Devil head coach Kenny Dillingham added one of the fastest-rising coach stars at any level to his staff in December of 2022 when he sought after Samples who was coming to ASU from a stint with the LA Rams.
"Ra'Shaad Samples has seen a meteoric rise through the coaching ranks and for good reason," Dillingham says. "You don't go from an offensive assistant in college to a position coach in the NFL in just four years without being dedicated to your craft and a work ethic that impresses everyone around you. Coach Samples will be a dynamic addition to this staff in numerous ways."
Samples was hired as the NFL’s youngest position coach at just 27 years old to coach the running backs for the Los Angeles Rams. He was instrumental in the evaluation process which led to the drafting of Kyren Williams at the Ram’s Draft House in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He was responsible for the early development of Williams during the 2022 season, who was a participant in the 2024 pro-bowl.
Prior to the season with the Rams, Samples spent a short stint at TCU where he was hired as the assistant head coach and running backs coach. He was responsible for the signing of Emani Bailey who would end up having 1,209 total rushing yards and 223 carries in the 2023 season, ranking fifth amongst the Big 12. Though he was only there for five months, Samples ended the 2022 signing period as the number five recruiter in the Big 12 conference which included the signing of five, four-star prospects.
Samples' career reached new heights when he was hired in 2019 as an offensive assistant at SMU with an emphasis on recruiting, where he would go on to spend three seasons and was vital in helping turn the program around in all aspects. Each season ended with a promotion during his time with SMU - first running backs coach and recruiting coordinator, then run game coordinator and he eventually became the assistant head coach at age 25. His fast success proved to be a testament to his diligent daily practice of hard work and the importance of cultivating and maintaining genuine relationships.
At SMU, Samples developed a reputation as one of the nation’s most elite recruiters.
The Mustangs' 2021 recruiting class was the highest-ranked in program history and features the highest signee for SMU. It boasted the highest average recruiting rating in the American Athletic Conference and was better than 16 Power 5 programs. An elite recruiter with powerful ties in DFW, his recruiting initiative of ‘Hometown Hero’ landed 17 highschool recruits from Texas, 12 being from the DFW metroplex in the 2021 signing class.
Samples finished as the No. 1 recruiter in the conference (247Sports), after the December Signing Day period, landing him as a top-15 recruiter in the country among the Power 5 and Group of 5. Among Group of 5 schools, Samples was the nation's top recruiter.
During the 2020 season, Samples was listed among 247Sports' 30-Under-30 list and was on Dave Campbell's 40-Under-40 list in 2021.
As running backs coach, Samples mentored Ulysses Bentley IV to FWAA Freshman All-America honors (the first Mustang in history) and AAC Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. The redshirt freshman was also a member of the Doak Walker and CFPA Award Watch Lists.
Bentley IV led the league with 913 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 10 games. His 11 rushing TDs set the SMU freshman single-season record and his 913 rushing yards in the regular season were over 200 more than any other player in the conference. His rushing TD and total TD totals ranked 17th nationally, while his rushing yards were 18th, and his 12 total TDs made him one of only two freshmen nationally with 10+ total TDs.
In his first season on the Hilltop, Samples helped mentor FWAA Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-AAC selection James Proche, who led the nation with 111 receptions. Proche's 8.5 receptions per game ranked second nationally, while his 15 receiving TDs were fourth. Both his receiving yards (1,225) and receiving yards per game (94.2) ranked in the top 20.
The senior was also a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards, and was a member of the Maxwell and Paul Hornung Award Watch Lists.
In the run game, Doak Walker semifinalist and all-conference selection Xavier Jones topped FBS statistical honors for points per game (11.5) and rushing touchdowns (23). Jones was also second nationally in total TDs with 25 and third nationally in total points scored with 150. His rushing yards (1,276) and rushing yards per game (98.2) were also in the FBS top 25. Jones' season points, rushing TDs and total TDs were all SMU records.
Proche was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, while Jones and tight end Ryan Becker went on to sign undrafted free agent deals.
Prior to arriving on the Hilltop, Samples worked at the University of Texas since February 2018. While with the Longhorns, Samples was an on-campus recruiter and an assistant wide receivers coach. He was vital in the development of receivers Devin Duvernay and Lil' Jordan Humphrey. Samples played a crucial role in the Longhorns' recruiting success, which would see the 2018 and 2019 signing class rank 3rd nationally and 1st amongst the Big 12 conference back-to-back.
Prior to his stint at Texas, Samples spent two years as an offensive assistant at the University of Houston in 2016 and 2017 working with the running backs and receivers (2016) under Darrell Wyatt and working with the quarterbacks (2017) under Brian Johnson. He played an important role in the mentorship of Kyle Allen, D'Eriq King and Marquez Stevenson and was responsible for instilling daily camaraderie amongst the team under the direction of head coach Tom Herman.
Before beginning his coaching career, Samples played in six games at Oklahoma State in 2014 as a redshirt freshman, registering three catches for 11 yards. In 2015, he transferred to Houston, and sat out the 2015 season due to transfer obligations and the 2016 season due to injury. Samples received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Houston in 2017.
Samples grew up in Dallas, Texas where he was a conspicuous football player and hometown hero. He caught 62 passes for 1,072 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior under his father Reginald Samples at Skyline High School. He was selected in 2013 to participate in the Under Armour All-American game. As a junior, Samples hauled in 19 touchdowns off 65 catches for 1,369 yards and was invited to ‘The Opening’ hosted by Nike concluding his junior season. A four-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals and Scout, Samples was a two-time first-team all-area selection by the Dallas Morning News and was the No.19 ranked receiver nationally by ESPN. He was also a second-team AP All-State selection and was ranked as the No. 20 overall player in the state of Texas in 2013. Samples held over 32 offers from division one football programs when his high school career concluded.
Ra’Shaad Samples Coaching Experience
2023 - present - Arizona State Wide Receivers/ Pass Game Coordinator
2022 - LA Rams Running Backs Coach
2021 - TCU Assistant Head Coach (Running Backs) / Run Game Coordinator / Recruiting Coordinator
2019 - 2021 - SMU Assistant Head Coach (Running Backs) / Run Game Coordinator / Recruiting Coordinator
2018 - University of Texas offensive assistant (wide receivers) / On-Campus Recruiting Coordinator
2016 - 2017 - University of Houston offensive assistant (running backs and receivers)