QUICK PICK
Texans fulfill need for speedy receiver with Irish’s Fuller
When Cleveland selected Baylor receiver Corey Coleman with the 15th pick in the first round, the Texans had to call an audible, and general manager Rick Smith responded by trading up in the first round for the first time in his 10 years of overseeing the draft. The Texans had Coleman and Notre Dame’s Will Fuller as the wide receivers they coveted the most — big-time playmakers with blazing speed and game-changing ability.
“He’s fast,” Smith said of Fuller. “That’s his greatest attribute, obviously.
“We talked about the two types of speed we look for. Not only is he straight-line, 40yard dash fast, (but) this guy plays extremely fast and quick (and can) really enhance what we do offensively.
“With the creativity these guys have on our offensive staff, I think he’ll be an excellent addition to our team.”
To guarantee they could select Fuller (6-0, 184), who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 at the scouting combine and 4.28 at his pro day, Smith gave up one of the Texans’ two sixth-round draft choices in 2017 to Washington to move up one spot.
Washington used the 22nd pick they acquired from the Texans on TCU receiver Josh Doctson.
Fuller, a two-year starter who scored 30 touchdowns at Notre Dame, fills a need. He gives the Texans a weapon who can stretch defenses opposite DeAndre Hopkins, who developed into one of the best in the NFL last season when he caught 111 passes for 1,521 yards (13.7 average) and 11 touchdowns.
One of the team’s goals after last season was to get a lot faster on both sides of the ball and special teams during the offseason.
Newly signed running back Lamar Miller, who runs in the 4.4s, solves the problem in the backfield. Fuller should take care of the problem at receiver.
Quarterback Brock Osweiler, signed as a free agent from Denver, is the primary beneficiary of the new speed brigade.
Miller is fast, but Fuller is faster.
“We feel good about the diversity at that position now,” O’Brien said. “He’ll come in and start off as an outside receiver.
“He does a number of different things. As he learns and he gets better every day, we’ll begin to move him around and do different things with him.”
Hopkins, Fuller, Jaelen Strong, Cecil Shorts and Keith Mumphery will be the top five receivers on the roster.
When O’Brien was preparing for his first season at Penn State in 2012, he recruited Fuller, who is from Philadelphia.
“I’ve known him a while,” O’Brien said. “We saw him at our high school camp.
“Will is bright, and he’s a hard worker. He comes highly recommended by (Notre Dame coach) Brian Kelly. We’re excited to get him in here and start working with him.”
The Texans’ rookie minicamp is May 6-8.
O’Brien disclosed that even though Fuller wasn’t a returner for the Fighting Irish, he’ll get a chance to return kicks for the Texans. Finding a dynamic returner who can affect field position was another necessity in the draft.
“He’s eager to learn,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to put a lot of guys there to see what they can do.”
As a receiver last season, Fuller had 34 plays of at least 20 yards, seven fewer than Coleman.
“He’s got the ability to be a vertical threat,” O’Brien said. “He tracks the deep ball very well.”
Like Coleman, Fuller dropped 10 passes, so he’ll have to improve in that area under new receivers coach Sean Ryan.
“There are some things he’ll have to improve, but he’ll get better and better,” O’Brien said.
Expect the Texans to get even better in the draft’s second and third rounds on Friday.
They need a defensive end to replace Jared Crick opposite J.J. Watt. They would like a starter who can penetrate and make plays in the backfield as well as stay on the field in passing situations.
The Texans also need an offensive tackle, safety, center and tight end.
Like the rest of the AFC South, the Texans improved considerably in the first round, but there are five more rounds and two more days remaining.