PFF scouting report: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame

Below is the PFF draft profile for Notre Dame's Will Fuller, which incorporates PFF’s college grades and scouting intel from our team of analysts. To see all of PFF’s 2016 scouting reports, click here.

Position fit:

Outside wide receiver

Stats to know:

Ranked third in the nation with 708 yards on deep passes and that made up 56 percent of his total yardage. Had fifth-highest catch rate on deep passes (at least 20 targets) at 58.6 percent.

What he does best:

• Fuller is fast, and it shows on the field. His second gear is special as CBs are often “in phase” before Fuller breaks away
• Gets in and out of his breaks well for such a speed receiver. Can throttle down better than most
• Will do his best work on the vertical route tree (go route, curl, comeback) while adding after-the-catch explosiveness on screens

Biggest concern:

• Hands are an issue. Dropped 10 of 72 catchable passes in 2015 for a 13.9 percent drop rate that ranked 88^th of 96 qualifiers at wide receiver. 2014 wasn’t much better: 12.64 percent drop rate ranked 82^nd.
• May be limited to the vertical route tree, hasn’t done much work catching the ball over the middle in traffic
• While the deep speed allows him to get behind the defense, he’s not great at hauling in off-target throws or making contested catches.

Player Comparison:

Ted Ginn, Carolina Panthers. While both Ginn and Fuller have the speed to get behind the defense, they also struggle to catch the ball consistently and they're both better-suited as deep threats rather than high volume targets in the passing game.

Bottom line:

Fuller brings a lot to the table with his speed, particularly the special second level he can achieve. While he may not be a receiver that will haul in 80-plus catches in a high volume attack, his speed and ability to work the vertical route tree make him effective as a deep threat with a quarterback capable of getting the ball down the field.