NFL Hot Press
*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Medical Rechecks: Good News for Fuller; Bad News for Smith
Updated April 20, 2016By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
Now that teams have the results from the Combine medical recheck, we reached out to sources from teams across the league to get feedback on two prospects in particular: Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith and Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller. In speaking with sources at a variety of teams, there was an across-the-board consensus of optimism for Fuller and pessimism for Smith.
Fuller missed most of his senior year with a serious knee injury, but the medical recheck said he was progressing and should be ready to play in time for the start of training camp. That was great news and better than many teams expected. Sources say that Fuller is safe to at least be a second-day pick. Some teams still have him in the second or third round in part because he hasn't been able to work out for teams leading up to the draft. Two playoff teams though said they had him as a possible late first. One general manager said that on their final board, Fuller will be in the 24-42 range. Thus, Fuller has a shot at being a Thursday night pick.
Unfortunately, the news was bad for Smith. Sources say they are worried about complications from Smith's torn ACL and MCL, and the prospect that he may need more corrective surgery. Teams love him on and off the field, but they view him as a major injury risk. Multiple teams said they had him as a sixth- or seventh-rounder. A couple of teams said they took him off their draft board after flunking him medically. Two playoff teams said their medical staff was more optimistic that he would return to play in 2017, and they had him as a potential mid-rounder. Smith would be fortunate to be selected on the second-day of the draft. If he does fall to the third day, he is such a talented player that I believe a team will take a chance on him.
Comment on this story here.
Previous Three Articles:
Next Three Articles:
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2023
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2023
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2023
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2023
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2023
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2023
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2022
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of May 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2021
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of May 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2020
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2019
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of May 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2018
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of May 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2017
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2016
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of May 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of April 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of March 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Feb. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Jan. 2015
NFL Hot Press Month of Dec. 2014
NFL Hot Press Month of Nov. 2014
NFL Hot Press Month of Oct. 2014
NFL Hot Press Month of Sept. 2014
NFL Hot Press Month of Aug. 2014
NFL Hot Press Month of July 2014
NFL Hot Press Month of June 2014