Troy University Athletics
Troy Football Adds Graduate Transfer Traveon Samuel
1/23/2018 3:53:00 PM | Football
TROY, Alabama – Troy added a dynamic playmaker for the 2018 season as Traveon Samuel has joined the Trojans as a graduate transfer from Louisville; Samuel will be immediately eligible to play for Troy and is currently enrolled in classes.
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"Traveon will be a dynamic difference maker from day one," Troy head coach Neal Brown said. "We are expecting him to step right in and be a leader on this team. He plays with a lot of juice and has a personality that is infectious to those around him. I have a lot of respect for a young man that can graduate in three-and-a-half years and be a student-athlete at the same time; that shows his level of maturity and dedication."
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Samuel, a 5-foot-7 wide receiver, started six games for the Cardinals in 2017 and finished fifth on the team with 21 catches for 339 yards. He finished his career at Louisville with 57 catches for 746 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 162 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries (9.5 YPC). Samuel averaged 26.8 yards on 12 kickoff returns his freshman year, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Clemson.
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One of the best in the nation on third down last season, Samuel ranked 24th in the country averaging 24.83 yards on six third-down catches in 2017. Four of his six catches went for a first down while four registered 15 or more yards, including a 78-yard grab; the seventh-longest on third down in the country last season.
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He was rated the No. 8 all-purpose back in the nation by the 247Sports Composite rating system coming out of Central High School in Phenix City, Ala., where he accounted for 1,764 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games as a senior. Samuel finished his career at Central High School with 60 total touchdowns scored and tallied more than 5,000 all-purpose yards.
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Troy has won 22 of its last 27 games dating back to 2015 season and the Trojans' .846 winning percent in 2017 ranked as the eight-best in the country. Troy's schedule featured seven bowl teams and the Trojans posted a 6-1 mark in those games.
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"Traveon will be a dynamic difference maker from day one," Troy head coach Neal Brown said. "We are expecting him to step right in and be a leader on this team. He plays with a lot of juice and has a personality that is infectious to those around him. I have a lot of respect for a young man that can graduate in three-and-a-half years and be a student-athlete at the same time; that shows his level of maturity and dedication."
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Samuel, a 5-foot-7 wide receiver, started six games for the Cardinals in 2017 and finished fifth on the team with 21 catches for 339 yards. He finished his career at Louisville with 57 catches for 746 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 162 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries (9.5 YPC). Samuel averaged 26.8 yards on 12 kickoff returns his freshman year, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Clemson.
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One of the best in the nation on third down last season, Samuel ranked 24th in the country averaging 24.83 yards on six third-down catches in 2017. Four of his six catches went for a first down while four registered 15 or more yards, including a 78-yard grab; the seventh-longest on third down in the country last season.
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He was rated the No. 8 all-purpose back in the nation by the 247Sports Composite rating system coming out of Central High School in Phenix City, Ala., where he accounted for 1,764 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games as a senior. Samuel finished his career at Central High School with 60 total touchdowns scored and tallied more than 5,000 all-purpose yards.
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Troy has won 22 of its last 27 games dating back to 2015 season and the Trojans' .846 winning percent in 2017 ranked as the eight-best in the country. Troy's schedule featured seven bowl teams and the Trojans posted a 6-1 mark in those games.
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