Kendall Fuller NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Redskins Rookie

POSITIVES

The fourth Fuller brother on track to play in the NFL, Kendall will join Vincent, Corey and Kyle as having made the jump from Virginia Tech to the pros. It’s safe to say he has football bloodlines.

The younger Fuller benefited from the experience of his older brothers and stepped on the field as a true freshman starter. A Freshman All-American, Fuller intercepted six passes in his first season and had NFL scouts excited for the future. He followed that up with a two-interception season while playing with a broken wrist. 2015 was to be Fuller’s year, but it ended early with a knee injury. He shut it down after three weeks.

Fuller has the height/weight/speed teams want, and he backs them all up with great confidence and enough playmaking skills when the ball comes his way. He’s a coordinated, smooth mover in his backpedal and has the start-stop quickness to track receivers in man coverage. Fuller can make plays on the ball in the air and times his jumps well to match receivers.

With exceptional football IQ, leadership skills and work ethic, Fuller is the type of player coaches will want on their team. The biggest question marks will be about his ability to adapt to the NFL while staying healthy.

NEGATIVES

Fuller did not look himself in 2015, which may be attributed to the knee injury. You have to go back to 2013 to see healthy, dominant tape from him, and back then he was a true freshman benefiting from his big brother Kyle lined up across the field.

When the ball is in the air, Fuller will go after it. Even when he shouldn’t. He’s a first-class gambler and will go for broke if he has a read on the ball. This makes him particularly weak against a good double move and receivers with the start-stop speed to take him over the top.

Fuller must learn to play with his legs and not his hands. In that regard he’s a lot like his brother Kyle and reminds me of former Michigan State star Darqueze Dennard. That may mean Fuller will be stuck as a good college corner who struggles to adapt to the pros.

Fuller may be living off the reputation of his brothers—and to be fair none have panned out as top-tier NFL talents. Two seasons marred by injuries and a play type that opens him up to penalties and big gains down the field will scare teams.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 187 lbs.

40 Time: INJURY (did not participate)

3-Cone: INJURY (did not participate)

Short Shuttle: INJURY (did not participate)

PRO COMPARISON: Darqueze Dennard, Cincinnati Bengals
FINAL GRADE: 6.49/9.00 (Round 2-3—Future Starter)