Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller, one of the top cover corners in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, is a lot like another former Hokies standout who went on to perform extremely well during his initial NFL season. Considering that player Fuller closely resembles is his older brother Kyle, it certainly makes sense that they'd share certain playing style characteristics. Only, not all of those characteristics are positive.
The issue for both players it seems is consistency. And health.
Kyle, a first-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2014 NFL Draft, raced out to a phenomenal head start during his rookie year, collecting 64 tackles, 4 interceptions and even 3 forced fumbles. But injuries and inconsistencies to his game left the Bears' new decision-makers, head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace, scratching their heads and wondering just what they had in Fuller.
Which brings us to Kendall. According to a recent report, scouts and GMs across the league "love" what the younger Fuller put on tape during the 2014 collegiate season, with some scouts even slotting him in ahead of more heralded prospects like Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III and even FSU's Jalen Ramsey.
As a pure cover corner with quality speed, Fuller brings a skillset that most teams in the NFL covet. But a knee injury that wiped out his entire 2015 season with the Hokies apparently has plenty of the league's personnel men worried.
Worse, his medical check at the rookie scouting combine apparently did not go well or deliver promising results.
As such, teams that had Fuller pegged, like his brother, as a first-round pick are now dropping him to the latter portion of the first day and even into round two. In fact, from the sounds of the report, it's most likely that Fuller hears his name called on Day Two.
It would be a tough break for a kid who had 15 pass break ups, 2 interceptions and 4.5 tackles for loss during the 2014 season, but it could also be to the benefit of cornerback-needy teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens who may pass on or be unable to land a guy like Ramsey or Hargreaves in the first.
