[3][4] Due to his weight, 150 pounds (68 kg), and his status as a small school prospect, Sam received no offers to play college football and walked-on to the local McNeese Cowboys.
[2] He wore the number 21, previously worn by his brother, during the 2018 season, but only appeared in three games, posting six tackles, before suffering a torn labrum.
[7] In the fall 2021 season, he placed second in the team with 70 tackles and made a team-leading seven pass breakups along with one interception, repeating as a first-team All-SLC pick.
[2][8] He entered the NCAA transfer portal and concluded his stint at McNeese having appeared in 33 games while posting 179 tackles, 19 passes defended and five interceptions.
[8] Television station KSWL-LD noted that in his tenure with the team, Sam "had to play through three head coaches and deal with a pair of hurricanes that wiped out almost all of the Cowboy facilities.
[9] With Marshall in the 2022 season, Sam totaled 53 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and seven pass breakups, being named honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference (SBC).