I'd argue that he is a better catcher of the ball when it is an off-schedule throw and he has to adjust. So he actually wins fairly often on 50-50 deep balls, it is the intermediate passes that are coming to his chest that give him issues (which can improve with coaching). I'd rather him be really freaking good at tracking the deep passes coming out and having trouble with the simple catches rather than the vice-versa.
Zeeshan2 posted a few videos yesterday of Fuller (there's quite a bit on YouTube as well) of some great catches by this kid. So obviously Otto is either blind, or he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.
Also, he is really good at drawing PIs. Watched a lot of film and there was at least one deep ball a game where he would draw the 15 yarder (which would be spot fouls in the league).
Pass happy offense? They ranked 85th in the country last season with 385 pass attempts. Treadwell and Fuller both caught exactly 25.7% of their teams completions last year. Fuller was "the man" as much as any other WR in the country last year. He had the 16th most receiving yards in the country on a team that threw the ball less than 70% of the rest of the country. Sounds like "the man" to me. Is stepping up in big games a trait of "the man"? Texas (big to me) - 7/142 Georgia Tech - 6/131 USC - 3/131 Pitt - 7/152 Stanford - 6/136 Ohio St. - 6/113 I do acknowlede that he did have a bad day vs. Clemson, however if you watch the tape (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lugyUU7Z9-E) the ND QB couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Fuller was open on a number of throws and just wasn't getting the ball.
even if he has those 2 inch hands, who is to say he can't perfect the basket catch into an art and make it his thing, like bagwell with his stance or a kevin martin's/shawn marion/avery johnson jump shot.
He can basket catch deep balls all he wants, it is the intermediate throws that he needs to catch away for his body. It'll improve with time and good coaching.
It's well known that Fuller has had a reputation for drops. I hope he grows past it, but that criticism is well earned. http://www.ndinsider.com/football/w...cle_ee936c66-dc00-11e5-ad49-1b4d2573029a.html
Just rewatched ND-Texas and ND-UMass in the two games he literally had one overhand catch and that was on a screen. Every single other catch in those games was a basket catch trapped against his body. So yeah. Awesome. He can very literally use his hands better than someone who had both hands amputated at the wrists. You sure got me. Anybody can put together an awesome highlight reel with a ridiculously limited number of catches and make you think damn near anything. I can select the 5 best Darius Hayward-Bay fluke catches, put some really cool music timed really well to the catches, throw in some special effects and have half the world thinking he's Steve Largent.
T.O. dropped a ton of balls, and he's going to be inducted into the HOF at some point. Not comparing this kid to him at all. Obviously anybody who's watched film on this kid can see the drops, but there's also a ton of great catches as well. If you want to say his hands are inconsistent that's one thing, but to say he "can't" use his hands is just not correct.
One thing is certain, none of you know what he will or won't do. But keep going back and forth since there are no real repercussions. We've picked him and you can't return picks. So either we want him to develop and succeed or we rather he fail. I'm choosing to support him as he develops and hope for the best.
I don't get posts like this. I don't see anyone saying they hate the pick, or the guy is going to be a bust. It's honest criticism of where he is as a player now. It is not a predictor of who he will be 3 years from now. Has anyone said there is no way he can develop and grow past it?
Well it sounded like some on here were in denial about the drops. He obviously has a lot of great catches, he won't be a 1st rounder if he didn't. We are all hoping that he improves and becomes a better player.
Totally agree but I don't think you will find many Texans fans, homer or not, arguing that he is even close to any of the guys you mentioned. Save for Hopkins (who obviously should have gone sooner in the draft) those guys were all very high picks and screamed #1 receiver since they stepped foot on college campuses. Ideally, you would love for your late First round pick to be mentioned with some of the best receivers to play the game like you mention above but there is a reason Fuller isn't considered a top 10 pick but there are also realistic reasons for him to be picked around where he was. His strengths are much different from the #1 guys you referenced and on paper they seem to fit perfect for what this offense wants to run so the fit is almost ideal since we have Hopkins on this team already demanding so much attention. In an ideal world, you would have 3 or 4 DeAndre Hopkins playing every receiver position but that just isn't possible. I totally understand where you are coming from with Fuller being a reach but I just don't understand where you basically make it sound like he has never caught a football with his hands in his life when it is clear he has SEVERAL times. I do think he has an uphill battle more than people here realize but I see hope for him to be a #1.5 type of receiver similar to what TY Hilton has been for the Colts and seems to have improved every season in the league. Although Antonio Brown and Will Fuller are completely different players, Brown had similar weaknesses and doubt about his game which understandably is why he was a 6th round pick. My point in comparing Brown to Fuller is that you don't know how hard a kid is going to work to beat the weaknesses out and develop their skills playing a sport that they love. It took Brown several years to be a complete receiver and Fuller will most likely not be as good as a player that Brown is but he could be the type of player that works on his game every year and puts it all together. I am of the opinion it will take Fuller awhile to be a #1.5 type of receiver to DeAndre's #1 but at this point we just need him to be a solid #2 receiver that can make plays when he gets one on one with a Safety or DB. Once he does that it becomes almost impossible to stop DeAndre when you have to worry about Fuller getting loose down the middle or on the sidelines. Fuller has a coachable flaw (although it is a tough flaw) to overcome but I have seen hope from him where you see despair. I believe he can have a similar first couple of years to TY Hilton which I would be ecstatic for as a late first round pick. TY should have gone much sooner than his first round grade looking back on it IMO. He has developed into a little more than just a deep threat but Fuller is bigger with better open field skills and should end up being stronger and is already faster than TY. Curious as to what you think his highest comparison player would be? Also, what about his lowest comp? FYI, I watched some film of him against UT and he completely destroyed them it seems. I saw several hands catches (some he trapped with his body) but his hands made first contact.
you don't get my point that no one here knows how it will turn out? that's obvious. but i don't mind the banter so long as folks recognize that it has no real bearing on his success or failure. some folks here have already labeled him a rousing success and other a bust. others condemning the texans for trading up for the wrong WR. i think that stuff is silly because on one knows. reminds me of jj watt, everyone and i mean almost everyone hated that pick LOL!!! Like I said, I enjoy the back and forth banter and I for one will hope for the best since his success in part determines the success of my team.
What I didn't get was the latter part of the post I was responding to. "We've picked him and you can't return picks. So either we want him to develop and succeed or we rather he fail. I'm choosing to support him as he develops and hope for the best." I haven't read anyone say they rather he fail. Of course we all want him to succeed. Of course we support his development and the best. Criticism does not equate to knowing or hoping he will fail. Criticism of JJ Watt, if true, were valid. It's great that he developed and worked past them. Doesn't make the criticisms wrong. Now if anyone said "that guy JJ Watt will never have a double digit sack season" or "he'll be out of the league in 10 years" or "Nick Fairly will have a better career than him"; then those were wrong. I enjoy criticism and compliments much more than predictions.
