5 things to know about Christian Sam, one of the Patriots’ newest linebackers
Prince Christian Sam named one son Prince and the other Christian. Christian grew up to become the 178th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but not before he was christened with a new name by an Arizona State defensive coordinator that constantly pushed him to ever higher heights.
“Christian and I have a love-hate relationship,” Phil Bennett said in October. “I love him but I think he hates me. He played very well and he’s a guy that has to maintain his focus. I’m grinding him to say the least. Between myself and coach Patterson, he might think he has a new name.”
The 6-foot-2, 244-pound linebacker joins New England after the Patriots selected him with the fourth pick of the sixth round. At the Scouting Combine, Sam put up 28 reps in the bench press, the most of any at the position in this year’s class, and ran a 4.75 40-yard dash.
Here’s what you need to know about the Patriots’ newest linebacker:
The scouting reports that say he doesn’t love to practice? “That wasn’t true.”
The NFL.com scouting report for Sam notes that scouts say the linebacker is “not the alpha leader in the locker room and doesn’t love to practice.”
On a conference call with reporters after the Patriots drafted him, Sam objected to the characterization.
“They’re entitled to their own opinions,” he said. “I feel like that was something that was put out there that wasn’t true. I’m a guy who, when I’m practicing, I take pride in practicing, because I know it’ll prepare me for the game. I know how big practice is to be able to get prepared for the game and play at a very high level.”
He added that the report was “something that got out there that [he] couldn’t control,” and said moving forward he will make sure he’s the best practice player he can be.
For what it’s worth, the NFL.com report also described Sam as “fluid and twitched up” with a “broad chest with tapered waist and well-defined limbs.”
The Friday night lights prepared him for Saturday afternoons.
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and Allen High School is bigger than most everything in Texas. The school boasts an 880,000 square feet campus, over 6,000 students, and a 650-man marching band that takes up most of the field at Eagle Stadium. In 2017, 480 kids signed up to play football in front of 18,000 fans inside that $60 million stadium.
The Eagles are a perennial power in the Lone Star State, and they were especially so during Sam’s tenure. Allen won the 5A Division I State Championship in both 2012 and 2013. Sam was named Defensive MVP of the 2013 championship game as the Eagles, ranked the second-best high school team in the nation, capped a perfect 16-0 season.
He chose Arizona State over Baylor, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State.
He’s a candidate for the TB12 method.
Before the 2017 season, Sam made an investment into what he felt could help him in the future. The linebacker went on a “pretty strict” meal plan, eating healthier and doing more yoga than he ever had before.
When Sam was asked on the conference call if he planned to continue with the new regime, he responded, “Yes sir, most definitely. I’m gonna keep adding onto it, also. Every year or offseason, my aim is to build on that. Hopefully, I’ll continue to learn about the things that are best for my body and put those things into practice. I’m willing to do the things that allow me to play and feel at the highest level I can be at.”
Sam should fit right in at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center. The only thing missing from these 2017 quotes is the term ‘pliability.’
I’m in yoga. I’ve been in yoga for about two years now. I do yoga, I eat right. I eat real healthy, I probably only have one cheat day. Most of my meals are cooked by me so I have just learned if you take care of your body, it will take care of you. My trainer back home always told us you know I work out with a couple NFL players and they always tell you, flexibility is key. The more flexible you are, the lower risk of injury so I just try to do yoga three times a week, maybe four in this offseason. My body feels light. I had the freak accident last year, but other than that injuries don’t really come like that. I feel like it’s helped me a lot. I’m more flexible, more loose, I can move better. Hips are looser. Everything just feels, you can get into positions you didn’t think you could get into before.
He returned from a redshirt year to put up Pac-12 leading stats.
Sam played in every game his freshman and sophomore years at Arizona State. Then, in the opening game of his 2016 campaign against Northern Arizona, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury. After rehab and a redshirt year, the linebacker returned in 2017 to earn an honorable mention All-Pac-12 nod. He led the Sun Devils and the conference in tackles, with 127, including 9.5 for loss.
Sam decided to forego his last year of eleigibility and enter the NFL Draft, a decision that was made easier by the fact that he had graduated early and received his diploma.
Thank You 🙏🏾.. Thank You SDN!! Next Chapter! #GLORYTOGOD pic.twitter.com/vYqA2wiTge
— Christian C. Sam (@ShowinStatsSam) January 8, 2018
The linebacker said he felt ready for the next level. When asked before the draft what the team that took him would be getting, he said, “They’re getting a high character guy, first and foremost. They’re getting a guy who’s gonna come in and contribute on special teams from Day 1. They’re getting a guy they don’t have to worry about. I’m always gonna take care of business. I’m always gonna give you my all. You’re getting an intelligent, tough player.”
Family and football are twins pillars for the former Sun Devil.
Sam is of Nigerian descent and the youngest of four children. His brother Prince played at Louisiana Tech, and Christian credits him as the biggest impact on his football career.
“After every game, he always tells me good job if I do good, but he’ll give me more of what I did wrong,” Sam said, per azcentral.com. “I always think ‘let me get this corrected’ because he knows what’s he talking about.”
It was Ohio State-Michigan game Prince was watching that got Christian hooked on the sport to begin with. It took a while to convince his mom to let him play the violent sport, but she eventually realized there was no changing his mind.
When the linebacker received the call that he was now a member of the Patriots organization, he was at home sharing the moment with his family. His mother, Veronica, was a major reason why he was able to keep his spirits up after the season-ending ankle injury in college.
“She was always telling me, ‘everything happens for a reason’ [and] ‘the time will come,’” Sam said. “Just make sure you get your ankle [is] right.”
“I always talk to my mom,” Sam said. “My mom keeps me level. She always keeps me sane. I love her to death and that’s my rock.”
