San Francisco 49ers rookie Deebo Samuel turns heads by running over 20 mph against Denver Broncos

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel reached 21 miles per hour during a 45-yard run against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football and it got 49ers fans excited about what he could bring to the team. less San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel reached 21 miles per hour during a 45-yard run against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football and it got 49ers fans excited about what he could bring ... more Photo: Screenshot Via Twitter Photo: Screenshot Via Twitter Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close San Francisco 49ers rookie Deebo Samuel turns heads by running over 20 mph against Denver Broncos 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

Check out how San Francisco 49ers fans reacted to rookie Deebo Samuel's run on Monday Night Football in the gallery above.

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel didn't play with the team's starters in their preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, but a play he made during the third quarter has people saying he should.

On 2nd and 5 with a little over six minutes left in the third quarter, quarterback C.J. Beathard pitched the football to Samuel on an end around. Samuel ran for 45 yards after catching the pitch and almost scored, but was pushed out of bounds just before he could reach the pylon. 49ers running back Jeff Wilson scored a one-yard touchdown on the next play.

While running up the sideline, he reached 21 miles per hour; His speed on the play had 49ers fans and others watching the game excited for what he might bring to the Niners and the NFL.

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Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland, who called the game for ESPN, pointed out that Samuel's top speed on the play is up there with that of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is generally considered the fastest person in the NFL. Hill reached 21 miles per hour on plays five times last season and twice in one game.

People who were watching the game and tweeting about it compared Samuel to Hill, too, as they expressed their excitement about the rookie.

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Some were saying that the 49ers got a steal in Samuel, who was drafted by San Francisco in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft after he notched 882 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns on his way to being named a First Team All-American at the University of South Carolina.

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Some compared him to the character Deebo for the classic comedy "Friday." Others were a bit more measured, considering the play came during the third quarter of a preseason game.

Drew Costley is an SFGATE editorial assistant. Email: drew.costley@sfgate.com | Twitter: @drewcostley