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Is Notre Dame’s Will Fuller the leading Heisman candidate?

Sep 19, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Will Fuller (7) reacts after making a catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Will Fuller has been unstoppable for Notre Dame, and he may just be the leading Heisman candidate heading into Week 4.

The wide receiver from Philadelphia had his third 100-yard receiving game of the 2015 season and seventh of his career in Notre Dame’s 30-22 win against Georgia Tech. How good is that? Well the only other time a Notre Dame player started a season with three-straight 100-yard receiving games was in 1970, by College Football Hall of Famer Tom Gatewood.

Not only is Fuller dominating, he is the most consistent and clutch player on the 2015 Fighting Irish squad. He went off in the season opener against Texas with two touchdowns and 142 receiving yards. He had the game winning 39-yard touchdown at Virginia with just 20 seconds remaining in Notre Dame’s second game of the season. And then against Georgia Tech, he scored a touchdown and racked up 131 receiving yards.

Long story short, Fuller is a stud, and his teammates are noticing.

“Will Fuller is one of the best go route-runners in the country,” Irish QB DeShone Kizer said.

Fuller’s deep-threat presence is forcing teams to make adjustments, which is creating a more diverse Notre Dame offense, as noted by head coach Brian Kelly.

“I think where it changed is when they tried to press Will on the perimeter and we hit the big pass down the sideline,” Kelly said. “That seemed to get them off us a little bit and put them more in quarter coverage — this allowed us a little bit more breathing room relative to running the football.”

Hard to believe that Fuller is only a junior considering he is Notre Dame’s all-time leader in single-season touchdown receptions and is tied for second in single-game touchdown receptions. In 2014 Fuller was also named Sports Illustrated Honorable Mention All-American and the Notre Dame Offensive Player of the Year.

Fighting Irish center Nick Martin realizes that Fuller is near uncover-able and will always make the play.

“He’s just an unbelievable player. He’s fast and when you see the ball is thrown to him, you know the play is about to be made.”

Will Fuller Notre Dame

So, can Will Fuller win the 2015 Heisman Trophy? You bet he can.

We are just three games into the college football season and Fuller already has four touchdown catches of at least 39 yards, and he is second in all of college football in receiving touchdowns, with five. Numbers like these in such a short timeframe illuminate a dynamic player. Not only is Fuller blowing by secondaries, but he is also catching short passes and making linebackers miss for huge gains in the middle of the field.

Fuller is doing it all for the Irish, and if he continues his climb into excellence, look for him to have a real legitimate chance at hoisting the Heisman Trophy come December.

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