Kansas City Chiefs: Scouting newest Chief Kendall Fuller
When Kansas City Chiefs fans heard that quarterback Alex Smith had been traded to the Washington Redskins, feelings ranged from relieved, to satisfied, to excited. Most of the excitement relied on what the Chiefs would see in return.
Fans quickly got their answer, as it was reported that the Kansas City Chiefs would receive cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third round pick (78th overall) in return for Alex Smith. Fuller, a third year corner out of Virginia Tech, burst onto the scene this year.
Per ProFootballFocus, Fuller graded out highest among defensive players for the Redskins in 2017. Now, PFF is certainly not the end-all be-all for grading player performance. They rank players in reference to fellow position players around the league. So we’re not necessarily saying that Fuller was the best overall player on Washington’s defense.
The proof is in the pudding with Fuller. Prior to the 2016 NFL draft, Fuller really could have been a first round pick, but injuries plagued his senior season at Virginia Tech. USAToday’s Mike Jones raves about Fuller:
Thing about Kendall Fuller is this: He had a first-round grade prior to his knee injury at Virginia Tech, and some offensive players in Washington believed he was poised to become the best player on that defense in another year. #Chiefs get a rising star.
— Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) January 31, 2018
After a knee injury, Fuller fell to the 84th overall pick, playing only three games in his last year at Virginia Tech. It was clear, though, that many believed Washington got one of the steals in the draft.
Related Story: Chiefs trade Alex Smith to Washington
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had heaps of praise for Fuller.
"“The playmaking production didn’t happen by accident. Fuller has the twitch and the anticipation to challenge throws on the NFL level and come away with his fair share of interceptions,” Zierlein wrote.“Fuller was the fourth Fuller brother to suit up for Virginia Tech, and will be the fourth to play in the NFL, and probably the most talented of them all.”"
Fuller’s strength is in his instincts. He’s a “ball-hawk”, able to use his supreme awareness to jump underneath routes. He’s also an aggressive tackler.
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Some Chiefs fans have expressed frustration with star corner Marcus Peter’s deficiencies tackling in the open field. You won’t find that issue with Fuller.
Speaking of Peters, Fuller’s energy draws comparisons to his new teammate. Other than his athletic ability, Fuller brings an edge and excitement to the game. He’ll lock you up, then tell you all about it.
Fuller’s weaknesses fall in line with those you’d expect to see from a typical ball-hawk type corner. He’s susceptible to skilled route-running receivers. Receivers that are skilled in navigating the entire route tree will find holes to burn Fuller. After all, nobody is perfect.
But as has been mentioned, it’s clear from those who’ve watched Fuller that he’s got the juice to start, and succeed, in this league. Just look at some tweets from those who have studied him, including PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, BleacherReport’s Marcus Mosher and Redskins Beat Reporter Craig Hoffman;
When Kendall Fuller lined up in the slot, he allowed a passer rating of 55.0. That was the best for all slot cornerbacks last year. Steven Nelson and Phillip Gaines both allowed passer ratings above 100 when in the slot.
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) January 31, 2018
If Kendall Fuller is, in fact, the other player in the Alex Smith trade, it would be an incredible haul do KC.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 31, 2018
Fuller was the No. 1 rated slot defender in the #NFL1000 this season.
Kendall Fuller is everything the #Redskins desire in a player. He's smart. He prepares. He's tough physically and mentally. He's a professional in every way. He's also extraordinarily cheap for the next two season.
— Craig Hoffman (@CraigHoffman) January 31, 2018
Trading him makes zero sense.
Fuller is a ballplayer. Clearing the cap space Smith would’ve commanded this year was huge for the Chiefs. Flipping a player that they likely would’ve eventually cut and receiving anything of substance in return is remarkable. The third round pick will definitely help a team strapped for draft picks.
Getting a starter, and potentially, a star? That could change the trajectory of this team for the next ten years.