In today’s fast paced world, the “need for speed” is everywhere and seems to be desired by all. The 2016 NFL Draft has a few speed demons; the one that is garnishing the most attention is former 
Notre Dame wide out Will Fuller. His impressive 4.32 40-yard dash time is encouraging NFL teams, dynasty fantasy owners, and draftniks alike to review his film to see what all the fuss is about. I watched his 2015 games against Ohio State, Texas, USC, and UMass as well as his 2014 Stanford and Florida State games to get a better idea of the skills and attributes he brings to the next level. This is what I saw:
WR-Will Fuller, Notre Dame 6′ 186 lbs.
Cons: Size is one of the first things you notice about Fuller. Sure, he is six feet tall, but the wide out isn’t very muscular, has skinny legs, and small 8.25″ hands. So then someone will bring up DeSean Jackson, who is two inches shorter and weighs eight pounds less. Unlike Jackson, Fuller misjudges many of his jumps when trying to catch the ball at its highest point and the rookie receiver uses his body to trap the ball too much, instead of catching the pigskin cleanly. The former Golden Domer’s straight speed is amazing, but the wide out has little to no wiggle. His inconsistent effort and struggles with drops will frustrate teammates and coaching staffs as well. Fuller hasn’t shown the ability to get off the line of scrimmage well in tight coverage (which might put him in motion a lot or relegate him to the slot) and is a huge liability in the run game (possible third down and long yardage situations initially).
Pros: The former Golden Domer can get to top speed in a few steps (sometimes blowing by quality corners), sells double and triple moves well which makes him a scary deep threat weapon. He tracks the ball well in the air, catches the ball in stride, and can make a bucket reception anywhere on the field. Fuller has a big catch radius and is willing to sacrifice his body to make a diving grab, even though it may result in heavy punishment. The wide out sees the entire field well, has good sideline awareness, and uses spin moves in the open field to create separation. Even though the rookie receiver is not very physical, he makes plenty of catches in traffic, while shielding the pigskin from defenders. Fuller is also dangerous on screens where he can use a single cut and accelerate down the field.
Overall impressions: If speed truly “kills”, he should be one of the first rookies you draft for your rookie draft. In his combine performance, Fuller improved with his concentration and snaring the ball instead of letting it hit his body. I’ve seen too much game film to dismiss the body catching, so I am hesitant to draft him any higher than the tenth best receiver in his class. Chances are the wide out will go sooner than that.
Thanks for reading!
You can follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley and/or the site @Dynasty_Blitz.
