Oakland Raiders: Ranking the Top 10 receivers in the draft
By Austin Gayle
5. Will Fuller, Notre Dame
In every NFL draft, there is a receiver that soars up draft boards after he puts up a lightning-fast time at the NFL scouting combine; former Notre Dame receiver Will Fuller fits the bill in 2016.
Fuller, a two-year starter at Notre Dame, put up average numbers in the rest of the on-the-field drills and measured in very thin (6’0”, 186 pounds), but his 4.32-second 40-yard dash time has kept him on afloat in the process leading into the draft.
Like most receivers who possess great speed, Fuller is more than capable of blowing the top off NFL defenses and is often the beneficiary of a lot of off coverage. Also, Fuller pairs his speed with above-average quickness in and out of his routes, as he often creates separation on underneath routes quickly and will make defenses pay after the catch.
Fuller brought in 138 passes for 2,352 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final two years with the Fighting Irish, via CFBStats.com.
Unfortunately for Fuller, his biggest flaw is one that NFL scouts struggle to overlook most; he has unreliable hands. On top of dropping balls placed right into his breadbasket, Fuller regularly uses his body to corral the football and will jump to catch the ball when it’s unnecessary.
In addition to his poor hands, Fuller needs to expand his route tree beyond just vertical routes, and his thin frame will make it difficult for NFL teams to consider him capable of thriving as a volume catcher.
With Roberts and Cooper already struggling with drops, I doubt Oakland is really interested in bringing another receiver that loves watching the ball hit the turf, but Fuller still has great upside as a big play receiver that can stretch the field with the best of them.