RELATED LINKS:-- Redskins Add To Cornerbacks Group With Fuller-- Fuller Has Quite The NFL Family
Washington Redskins' general manager Scot McCloughan is one of the best in the business when it comes to evaluating talent. He knows what's best for his football team, and he'll search far and wide to find the best "football players" – to use a term he should copyright – to fill out the eventual 53-man roster.
Case in point: cornerback Jonathan Allen, who McCloughan said yes to in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Should Fuller not have injured his knee last August in preseason camp at Virginia Tech, and undergone knee surgery shortly after, he might have been taken in the first or second round.
That's neither here nor there, now that he's with Washington. Fuller's talent on the football field is undeniable, and something that impressed McCloughan as he went through his evaluation and eventual selection of Fuller.
"I feel good enough to know the kind of player [Fuller] is, and the kind of person he is, and where he comes from family-wise; he's going to do everything in his power to make sure he's a football player for us," McCloughan said. "When you get to the third round, to get a corner, that I think can be a starting corner, is excellent."
Someone else who thought the selection of Fuller was an excellent one is NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks, who took an in-depth look at the NFC East division, handed out draft grades, and made note of certain selections that caught his eye, with Fuller being one of them.
In fact, Brooks feels that Fuller will be the biggest sleeper pick of any player that was taken by the Redskins, Cowboys, Giants and Eagles in this year's draft.
"The Virginia Tech standout becomes the fourth member of his family to reach the NFL via Virginia Tech, following Vincent (seven seasons with the Titans and Lions), Kyle (entering Year 3 with the Bears) and Corey (entering Year 4 with the Lions), but he could be the best of the bunch. Injuries robbed Fuller of the majority of his final season with the Hokies, but he is unquestionably a premier cover guy when healthy. If he bounces back from his injuries and regains his swagger, he could shine as a CB2 in a zone-based scheme that places a premium on ballhawks with superb instincts and playmaking skills."
That's pretty high praise coming from someone like Brooks, who played in the league for five years at cornerback and on special teams, and also served as a college scout for several teams. He knows a thing or two about NFL talent -- probably why he also gave the Redskins draft class an "A" grade.
.
.
.
