Will Fuller
One of the most criticized first-round draft picks in quite some time, there weren’t a whole lot of nice things for pundits to say when the Houston Texans traded up a slot to draft Will Fuller at 21st overall. He was viewed as a one-trick pony with suspect hands, which doesn’t sound like first-round material to me.
However, once you put the film on, it’s obvious to see the talent he has. Fuller was made for football; his speed is godlike. Seeing him run routes and change directions without slowing down reminds me of the mythological Greek God, Hermes.
He is simply too fast for most defensive backs in the league. Trying to leave a speedster like him one-on-one in man coverage is like throwing it in the closing seconds of a Super Bowl on a second goal. You simply don’t do that.
Fuller demands the attention of opposing defenses because he has the speed to wreck a gameplan. The vertical stretch he offers opens up the middle of the field for slot receivers and tight ends.
Not being able to keep Fuller with only one defender also helps DeAndre Hopkins get better matchups than he did in previous years.
His health has been the only thing keeping back. Fuller looked more comfortable in his second year, especially with the opportunity to play with a franchise quarterback like Deshaun Watson. He had an absurd seven touchdowns in seven games with only 13 receptions playing alongside Watson.
Fuller ended the season with 28 receptions for 423 receiving yards. Once Watson went down for the knee surgery, Fuller’s health also deteriorated.
Having Tom Savage under the helm didn’t do wonders for him, either. The connection simply wasn’t there. A healthy Fuller will certainly be a sight to see in 2018.