Fuller and Maddy Fighting Through Injuries

Kendall Fuller
Kendall Fuller

Kendall Fuller and Luther Maddy have been two of Virginia Tech’s top players over the last few years. Unfortunately, they are both injured during a critical time of NFL evaluations.

Fuller suffered a torn right meniscus last August, but attempted to play through the injury early in the season. After three games, it was obvious he wasn’t himself. He and the medical staff decided that surgery was the best way to go, and he missed the remainder of 2015.

“I feel really good,” Fuller said Wednesday while watching his former teammates work out at Virginia Tech’s Pro Day. “Rehab is going good, training is going good. Just waiting to get that strength and power back.”

Fuller wasn’t able to work out at Pro Day, nor could he work out at last month’s NFL Combine. He’s been training and rehabbing his knee in Florida, and he hopes to be able to show off his skills in private workouts soon.

“When I’m 100%, we’ll contact everybody and let them know. My main focus right now is getting to 100%.”

As of now, Fuller is expected to be a first or second round pick. He obviously has first round talent, but his knee injury and overall lack of experience are a concern to some NFL teams.

Fuller isn’t too concerned about which team drafts him. Despite growing up in Baltimore Ravens country, he didn’t have a favorite NFL team until his brother Vincent was drafted by the Tennessee Titans.

“Any team my brother was on,” Fuller said when asked if he had a favorite team.

He continued to pull for his brothers teams, even after Vincent’s career ended.

“First, really a Titans fan. Then Detroit once Corey got drafted, and now Detroit and Chicago.”

Fuller’s third brother, Kyle, was a first round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2014.

Wherever Fuller ends up, he’s sure to be taken early in the draft. That probably won’t be the case for defensive tackle Luther Maddy, who is battling through a knee injury of his own.

“I had an injury to my left knee, basically chronic tendonitis,” Maddy told the media on Wednesday. ” I had to get a small procedure done at the beginning of February. I’ll be back healthy by the time camp starts.”

Maddy injured his right knee during the 2014 season. He had surgery after the Georgia Tech game and missed the rest of the season. As a result, he was able to get a medical hardship waiver and play in 2015 as a r-senior.

He played through his senior season with tendonitis in his left knee, but it got even worse once he began training for the NFL Draft. In February, it became obvious that he needed to bite the bullet and have surgery.

“It was terrible timing. I couldn’t do anything at the combine, or pro day.”

Despite the fact that he hasn’t been able to work out in front of NFL scouts, Maddy is close to being 100% and will hold his own Pro Day in the Indoor Practice Facility at Virginia Tech on April 19. He still expects to be drafted, and in the end he knows that having surgery was the best thing for his football career.

“I played with it like this during the season, so once I get my knee healthy I’ll be an even better player.”

The 2016 NFL Draft will be held in Chicago from April 28-30.

3 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. The Fullers seem to be an excellent family. As for Luther, here’s wishing him the best. As a Hokie these are the kind of people it is a pleasure to root for.

    1. Wish the best for both these guys. Perseverance and determination will win out over the bad timing.

      Go Hokies!

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