With the 21st pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans decided to take the explosive wide receiver out of Notre Dame, Will Fuller. Here are five things Texans fans need to know about this Fighting Irishman:
1. He’s fast
Really, really fast, that is. Fuller ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which was the overall fastest for the event. His speed will be a huge utility moving forward for the Texans with DeAndre Hopkins demanding double teams. Should Will have a one-on-one on the outside, it’s safe to say he can beat his man on pure speed. Houston wanted to revamp its offense with athleticism, and it starts with the investment of this first rounder.
2. He’s one of the best wide receivers to come out of Notre Dame
Fuller is one of four players in school history (Michael Floyd, Jeff Samardzija and Golden Tate) with back-to- back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and is the only player in school history with five career touchdown receptions of at least 72 yards. In his sophomore season, his 15 touchdown receptions, 76 catches and 1,094 receiving yards were the most in single-season school history by a sophomore. He finished his career with 144 receptions for 2,512 yards and 30 touchdowns.
3. Comes from a working-class family
His full name is William Fuller V. He grew up in a house with four sisters and two working parents. His dad, Will IV, worked construction from sunrise to sundown, while his mother was a bookkeeper. Fuller says he always would have food on the table, but it was definitely hard growing up like that. His parents wanted to give him the best chance to succeed, so they saved up, sacrificed and allowed him to go to a private Catholic School.
4. He loved hockey growing up
Hockey was Fuller’s first love. He started playing foot-hockey as a kid and joined the Police Athletic League in Wissinoming, PA at five years old. He was almost too aggressive (called the enforcer of the team), so two games into the season, his coach told his mom he might be a betterfit for football. His mother signed him up for football the next season, and Will instantly fell in love with the game.
5. He’s in the perfect situation
Being a first round draft pick usually comes with high expectations and a lot of pressure. However, Fuller is almost viewed as an afterthought after a busy offseason in Houston. The Texans signed Brock Osweiler to be their quarterback, Lamar Miller at running back and also drafted college star Braxton Miller to be the slot receiver. Will is arguably the least popular in terms of being a celebrity, so he has a chance to come in under the radar and just get to work without the added pressure of being “the star first-rounder.”
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