'13 PA WR Will Fuller (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

[GBdomer]

Still to high for me. Top half a second round I think is right. He has really really small hands.


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Exactly, teams aren't going to draft a guy in the first round who is strictly a vertical threat. Plus his hands are still a major issue but he's a homer run guy who I see going in the second round like Desean.

 

[pkt77242]

Exactly, teams aren't going to draft a guy in the first round who is strictly a vertical threat. Plus his hands are still a major issue but he's a homer run guy who I see going in the second round like Desean.

Except that many teams do. Hello Troy Williamson, Breshard Perriman, Ted Ginn, Tavon Austin, etc.

I think that he goes anywhere from 20-45, late first to mid second.

 

[kmoose]

Exactly, teams aren't going to draft a guy in the first round who is strictly a vertical threat.

Why not? The Dolphins drafted a PR/KR(Ginn) not just in the first round, but in the Top 10!

 

[phillyirish]

My Eagles can pick up Will at 17 and cobble some of their 11 other picks and move into the second round to get Jaylon as the steal of the draft. Use the rest of the picks on linemen and the Eagles might actually become watchable again.

It's sad cause WR is a serious issue on this team but not even the top 3. If the top tier linemen and CBs are off the board I'm all for it. Don't want them going anywhere near a qb in the first round.

 

[gkIrish]

Except that many teams do. Hello Troy Williamson, Breshard Perriman, Ted Ginn, Tavon Austin, etc.

I think that he goes anywhere from 20-45, late first to mid second.

Don't forget Heyward Bey

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Regarding post # 1246 :

So naturally, particularly since Fuller did have a reputation for drops during two otherwise mega-productive seasons at ND, he was peppered with questions Thursday about his hands and not relying so much on pinning the ball against his body.

Fuller, way more candid and unrehearsed than your typical combine participant, actually went on to expound on all the flaws he had been working on since the Fiesta Bowl.

“The biggest thing — and I’ve talked to plenty of receiver coaches — they say they notice I start running … I don’t aggressively attack the ball in the air,” he said. “That’s a big thing I’ve been working on, is attacking the ball and not letting it eat me up.”

Eric Hansen wrote it, and I thought that it was interesting that Will stated almost exactly what I had heard.

If true, I think that is an easy problem to fix!

 

[koonja]

Regarding post # 1246 :



Eric Hansen wrote it, and I thought that it was interesting that Will stated almost exactly what I had heard.

If true, I think that is an easy problem to fix!

Bogs I love your optimism, but any spin on this is a ploy to make it sound fixable to improve his draft status. I love Will but he has itty bitty hands and it is what it is. His speed, ability to stay healthy, and route running will be what keeps him in the league. I predict drops will stay with him for his entire NFL career.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Bust. Small hands got him 138 rec - 2,352 yards - 29 TDs in the last 26 games.


It's funny how a measurement can make you forget about actual production.

He isn't an AJ Green/Julio Jones in terms of being an elite/cant miss guy, but give me a break. Will Fuller will be more than fine in the NFL.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Bust. Small hands got him 138 rec - 2,352 yards - 29 TDs in the last 26 games.


It's funny how a measurement can make you forget about actual production.

He isn't an AJ Green/Julio Jones in terms of being an elite/cant miss guy, but give me a break. Will Fuller will be more than fine in the NFL.

This.

Idk if Will will ever be a first option guy (maybe he'll grow into a Marvin Harrison type of #1 option? Probably not).

But teams know this. They know he can be a home run guy, and they know his production in college. I see his career projection being no different than say a TY Hilton.

 

[koonja]

I'm not saying he won't be successful in the NFL. But he don't expect his hands to improve with the balls coming harder and faster than they did in college. He's going to have a considerable problem with drops IMO. He'll survive on his elite speed, route running, and toughness/health.

 

[Wild Bill]

I'm not saying he won't be successful in the NFL. But he don't expect his hands to improve with the balls coming harder and faster than they did in college. He's going to have a considerable problem with drops IMO. He'll survive on his elite speed, route running, and toughness/health.

Depends on his work ethic. He can drastically improve his ability to catch with practice, better technique and repetition.

 

[koonja]

Depends on his work ethic. He can drastically improve his ability to catch with practice, better technique and repetition.

I hope he does, but I don't expect it at all. NFL balls get harder to catch and his hands aren't getting bigger.

 

[GowerND11]

I'm not saying he won't be successful in the NFL. But he don't expect his hands to improve with the balls coming harder and faster than they did in college. He's going to have a considerable problem with drops IMO. He'll survive on his elite speed, route running, and toughness/health.

Let's not act like he didn't get lasers from Golson or even Kizer. And plenty of very good receivers in the NFL still allow the ball to get into their chest. I see it a lot when they run slant patterns. They let it into the shoulder pads and trap it against them. Fuller will be fine. If he is mindful that this is something he needs to work on, he seems to have the work ethic to improve. Will he still drop the ball? Of course, but I don't think it is going to impact him as much as people say it will.

 

[GoldenDome]

Bust. Small hands got him 138 rec - 2,352 yards - 29 TDs in the last 26 games.


It's funny how a measurement can make you forget about actual production.

He isn't an AJ Green/Julio Jones in terms of being an elite/cant miss guy, but give me a break. Will Fuller will be more than fine in the NFL.

Julio Jones dropped many passes in college and he turned out pretty good. But Braylon Edwards...his college production hands of stone did not evolve. I think catch has more to do with hand eye coordination and concentration than hand size. Hand size is a factor, but more so when defenders strip down on a reception.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Can people please quit acting like "his hands" are keeping him from catching balls?

Will does have a drop problem, maybe his smaller hands don't help him, but he's made some freaking incredible catches.

Therefore, his hands must be bigger enough to catch the ball. He just needs to be more consistent about it. And that's something he can improve on. If you watch Will's drops it's usually because his form (body catching) or eyes are off.

He can improve on both of those things.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

I think the perfect fit for Fuller in the NFL is a team that is committed to running the football and has a QB with a live arm. People forget that Fuller's impact extended well beyond catching the football the last two years. As a vertical threat, he forced defenses into a terrible choice. Get gashed by our RBs, or torched by Will deep. Even if he never becomes a #1 WR, his speed will impact the game in ways that aren't recorded on the stat sheet.

 

[Irish#1]

This.

Idk if Will will ever be a first option guy (maybe he'll grow into a Marvin Harrison type of #1 option? Probably not).

But teams know this. They know he can be a home run guy, and they know his production in college. I see his career projection being no different than say a TY Hilton.

I think Fuller's drops aren't that bad. He catches plenty with his hands, he just doesn't do it consistently. Having watched Marvin since he was a Colt, I don't think Will is going to turn into the #2 receiver of all time. Marvin had some insane one handed catches.

Will is going to do just fine in the NFL.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Why is it so any people think a player/coach at ND has no issues. But when they leave, they won't be any good, and often never were.

 

[IrishLion]

Why is it so any people think a player/coach at ND has no issues. But when they leave, they won't be any good, and often never were.

Will has always dropped too many easy passes. No one has ever disputed that at any point during his ND career.

Those drop issues could, or could not, be an even bigger issue in the NFL.

I understand your post, but I don't think Fuller is an example that warrants the question.

 

[GowerND11]

Why is it so any people think a player/coach at ND has no issues. But when they leave, they won't be any good, and often never were.

I'm pretty sure there were discussions all year about his hands. That was one of the reasons people believed he'd come back, so he could work on them to improve his stock. I think the worry is somewhat justified because he is leaving a year early, but the concern is his hands. If the concern was his route running but everything else was top notch, well that can be learned. Can catching the football more consistently be learned?

To leave early you expect to be a 1st or 2nd RD pick. So there's always that risk that a guy who "has a case of the drops" falls and if coming out was the right thing to do.

 

[irishff1014]

I don't think you will see Fuller become a number 1 WR nor do i think he will be considered a possession receiver. But lets face Fuller is still fast enough to burn most guys that will cover him. Yes i know they say he is undersized but with his speed he could be deadly on a quick slant with just a little bit of room.

 

[kmoose]

I think the perfect fit for Fuller in the NFL is a team that is committed to running the football and has a QB with a live arm. People forget that Fuller's impact extended well beyond catching the football the last two years. As a vertical threat, he forced defenses into a terrible choice. Get gashed by our RBs, or torched by Will deep. Even if he never becomes a #1 WR, his speed will impact the game in ways that aren't recorded on the stat sheet.

Pittsburgh might be a perfect place for him. They have used quite a few guys in the recent past to basically just rip the top off of the defense, while running the ball and throwing to better overall receivers underneath. Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and Antonio Brown all broke into Pitt's lineup in this manner.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Pittsburgh might be a perfect place for him. They have used quite a few guys in the recent past to basically just rip the top off of the defense, while running the ball and throwing to better overall receivers underneath. Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and Antonio Brown all broke into Pitt's lineup in this manner.

Pitt was exactly the landing place I was thinking for him. He'd thrive in that offense.

 

[woolybug25]

Pittsburgh might be a perfect place for him. They have used quite a few guys in the recent past to basically just rip the top off of the defense, while running the ball and throwing to better overall receivers underneath. Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and Antonio Brown all broke into Pitt's lineup in this manner.

Why would they need another version of Antonio Brown? They already have him.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Why would they need another version of Antonio Brown? They already have him.

Why'd the Colts need Phillip Dorsett?... Oh wait, yeah, your point exact.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Why would they need another version of Antonio Brown? They already have him.

Fuller isn't Antonio Brown. Brown doesn't have Fuller's elite straight line speed, Fuller doesn't have Brown's elite skills as a possession receiver.

 

[Grahambo]

Late 1st rd/top half 2nd rd would be where I would target Will. Too bad NE doesn't have a 1st round pick. I think he'd be a great fit there.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Late 1st rd/top half 2nd rd would be where I would target Will. Too bad NE doesn't have a 1st round pick. I think he'd be a great fit there.

It NE. They'll just cheat, walk up to the podium whenever they feel like, draft him, and the rest of league will bitch while they get away with something else.

 

[woolybug25]

Fuller isn't Antonio Brown. Brown doesn't have Fuller's elite straight line speed, Fuller doesn't have Brown's elite skills as a possession receiver.

Thanks for the hot tip... the reasoning the OP gave for him being a good fit was that he "takes the top off a defense" and gave the example of Brown being a player like that (which he is). So my point was "why have two?".

 

[kmoose]

Thanks for the hot tip... the reasoning the OP gave for him being a good fit was that he "takes the top off a defense" and gave the example of Brown being a player like that (which he is). So my point was "why have two?".

I mentioned Brown because that was how he started out getting PT at Pittsburgh; as a one route guy that used flat out speed to take the top off of the defense. He then developed into the complete receiver that he is today. Mike Wallace was the first guy that they really utilized as just a deep speed guy, while Hines Ward was still the go-to guy, and he turned into a pretty good receiver. Then they plugged Emmanuelle Sanders into that role, as Wallace took on a more prominent role in the passing game. After Wallace left at the conclusion of the 2012 season, Sanders took on a bigger role in the passing game and Brown was used to be the deep threat. When Sanders left after the 2014 season, Brown took over as the go-to guy, and the Steelers hoped that Markus Wheaton would become the deep burner. That hasn't really happened like people would like. So Fuller could be a great fit in Pittsburgh.