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Corey Fuller is making an early impression on the Saints, but don't expect him to buy the hype

BY NICK UNDERHILL | NUNDERHILL@THEADVOCATE.COM
JUL 29, 2017 - 2:38 PM



New Orleans Saints wide receiver Corey Fuller (11) makes a catch as New Orleans Saints cornerback De'Vante Harris (21) and New Orleans Saints defensive back Rafael Bush (25) close in for a tackle as the Saints continue training camp at the Sports Performance Center in Metairie, La. Friday, July 28, 2017.
Advocate staff photo by MATTHEW HINTON


The thing about Corey Fuller is that he isn’t going to buy into the hype.

He was raised not to. While the rest of the world might have been celebrating one of his many athletic achievements growing up, Fuller knew that when he got home, there was going to be a dose of reality. That’s just how it is growing up in a home with three brothers who also made their way to the NFL.

“I can go out here, and you guys will think I did good, and they’ll find the littlest thing and call me up, ‘Bro, what is this? What are you doing,’” Fuller said. “And it’s vice versa.”

That’s a good thing because Fuller is quickly emerging as one of the early surprises of training camp. The wide receiver scored touchdowns on each of the last two days of practice, and, as a former track star, has shown how he can make a defense pay when given a little bit of space.

It’s still early, and the competition is thick, but Fuller is trying to follow in the footsteps of the many other unheralded wide receivers who have emerged during camp and found their way onto the roster.

Just take it from one of the other guys who recently blazed the same path.

“Corey is a baller,” wide receiver Willie Snead said. “Every time he gets an opportunity and the ball comes his way; he makes that play. He’s a smart, savvy guy. … He goes up and makes plays. He’s going to be a very viable asset for us if he keeps on the road that he has.”

Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that Fuller is off to a fast start. He spent time with the Saints last year and played in the same offense in Detroit under then offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, the former Saints quarterbacks coach who returned to the team last year in the same role.

Still it never really happened for him in Detroit. He showed glimmers, like when he caught the game-winning touchdown for the Lions against the Saints in 2014, but the moments weren’t consistent. After logging 212 yards as a rookie, he only had 76 in 2015. Then, last year, he was signed by the Saints off Detroit’s practice squad in December.

The reason for that, Fuller says, is that he had to learn to believe in his talent.

“I’ve learned that once you have confidence no one can stop you,” Fuller said. “If you have self-confidence, really nobody can stop you. Now it’s just I’m good to compete in this league, so why not go and do it?”

It makes sense that it took Fuller a little while to arrive at this conclusion.

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“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill