As soon as John Schneider began buying and selling late spherical picks within the 2026 NFL Draft, he simply couldn’t cease, sending No. 216 that was acquired in a earlier cope with the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Inexperienced Bay Packers for No. 236 and 255, each within the seventh spherical. At No. 236, the Seattle Seahawks pulled from the secondary bucket for the third time within the draft with the number of Andre Fuller from Toledo. Fuller performed his closing season at cornerback for Toledo after two years as a security. He’ll must be sharp throughout coaching camp to supplant somebody in that stacked Seahawks secondary.
Relative Athletic Rating (RAS)
Fuller is a “Good” athlete general should you take a look at his RAS, with good dimension at 6’1, 200lbs. The arm size is one draw back for him on the twenty sixth percentile per Mockdraftable. He possible would’ve been disqualified prior to now with Pete Carroll’s 32” arm threshold, although that was relaxed a bit towards the tip of Pete’s tenure. Velocity and explosion are good, however not nice. The attention-catching quantity for Fuller is that 86th percentile broad bounce.
A.J. Terrell is listed on each RAS and Mockdraftable, in order that deserves additional analysis.
Fuller and Terrell are similar or very shut in top, weight, vertical, broad, and shuttle. The most important distinction lies within the quicker 40-yard sprint time for Terrell. Each have shorter than common arm size as properly, making it probably an much more apt comparability.
Earlier than I begin throwing out my very own comps, I wished to verify on Aqib Talib from the RAS checklist.
This one isn’t all that shut since Fuller solely has Talib overwhelmed in top. It’s one other a kind of circumstances the place Fuller most likely wouldn’t have been floating round within the seventh spherical if he was of the identical athletic caliber as Talib.
Since Fuller performed extra as a security in faculty, I believed it might be enjoyable to have a look at some safety-to-cornerback converts. Up first is Dax Hill, who was drafted at security and performed there his first two seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals earlier than switching to cornerback.
Not one of the particular person testing numbers match up, however the general athletic rating is in the identical zip code. Hill’s agility instances are a lot better, probably lending credence to the Bengals’ determination to maneuver him to CB.
Up subsequent is one other safety-turned-corner challenge with Seahawks ties.
Mike Tyson (insert compulsory joke right here), was additionally drafted within the late rounds by the Seattle Seahawks identical to Fuller. One of many final picks of that maligned 2017 draft class, Tyson has one other factor in frequent with Fuller in that he was a university security. Nonetheless, Tyson could be making that very same transition to cornerback on the NFL degree not like Fuller who had a yr on the skin in faculty. Testing-wise Fuller is a noticeably higher athlete at an analogous dimension. A lot of that is because of Tyson’s poor explosion scores. Tyson bounced across the NFL, however by no means received a lot taking part in time, so hopefully Fuller fares higher.
Do you wish to know who Fuller compares very favorably to athletically? Fellow 2026 Seahawks draftee Julian Neal!
Really, Fuller is a barely shorter, lighter, and “less athletic” model of Neal – the final half in quotations as a result of Fuller remains to be a superb general athlete. Neal additionally has longer arms which supplies him a attain benefit. Fuller and Neal shall be endlessly linked collectively as a part of the identical draft class, however most individuals may not understand how shut they’re athletically as properly.
Since Fuller and Neal are such good comps, you would look again at my Neal prediction article and basically pull the identical gamers as comps for Fuller. I went forward and grabbed a couple of different Seahawks Legends for the aim of this text.
Trufant comes very shut for general RAS with Fuller, but has a transparent benefit in 40-yard sprint and vertical at only a pound lighter. Igbinoghene, who shall be competing with Fuller for a roster spot this season, may really be the most effective of the bunch as a comp. Actually, it’s simply the peak and shuttle the place there are vital variations. Igbinoghene additionally has lower than 32” arms, though his are about 1” longer than Fuller. We is perhaps seeing a sample with Mike Macdonald’s preferences at CB with the Neal, Fuller, and Igbinoghene acquisitions.
Seattle began to stockpile late-round picks and as soon as once more hit on a necessity place with their second CB number of this draft. Fuller visited Seattle, in order that they clearly felt snug together with his match. He’s additionally an in depth match athletically with Julian Neal. Fuller may not essentially be a hedge for Neal, nevertheless it’s not a farfetched concept. With only one season of CB expertise at Toledo, Fuller may have loads of development and play his finest ball on the NFL degree. That’s positively price a late-round flier.
Fuller isn’t assured to make the 53-man roster out of coaching camp, however I believe the percentages are in his favor. Seattle saved 5 CBs initially final season, and solely three of these gamers are returning in Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, and Nehemiah Pritchett. Of these three, Pritchett’s spot can also be in jeopardy. Julian Neal is a lock, leaving Fuller to compete with Pritchett, Igbinoghene, different fellow 2026 draftee Michael Dansby (who we’ll get to in a couple of weeks), and some extra names for possible two openings. I really feel like the truth that Seattle used a draft choose on Fuller after having him in for a go to bodes properly for his probabilities.
Fuller will make the ultimate roster and push Nehemiah Pritchett for reps because the fourth CB whereas utilizing his security versatility to coach at nickel. He’ll find yourself with 15 complete tackles and be a mainstay on particular groups. Perhaps we’ll even see one in every of these in preseason…
