Fisher not a Priority rather a Luxury

Per The News-Sentinel: By Reggie Hayes, Link


Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian said picking a kick returner in the NFL Draft was not a priority, but a possible luxury.The Colts' last pick of the three-day draft brought that luxury.Polian and coach Jim Caldwell took Indiana University cornerback and return man Ray Fisher, and Polian sounded optimistic that the late-round home-state selection (246th overall) would have a shot.“We felt he was a dual-purpose guy, and a guy that could very likely make our team and contribute in a lot of ways as a ‘gunner' on special teams and things of that nature, in addition to the return game,” Polian said.

Fisher vowed to make a strong run at bolstering the Colts' return game, which hasn't been particularly special in recent seasons.“I know I can bring a lot of excitement to Indianapolis,” Fisher said. “I'm not saying they don't have great players, but they haven't had that big, impact kick returner, and I think I can bring that to the team.”Fisher, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound native of Cleveland, played three years at wide receiver for the Hoosiers before switching to cornerback. He started six games as a senior before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He averaged 37.4 yards per kickoff return and had two kickoff-return touchdowns.

“Even though he's on the small side, he's a good cover corner,” Polian said. “He's a good gunner on covering punts. He can block kicks and he's a dual returner. He can fill a lot of roles.“When you're looking for a player who is not necessarily going to be a starter, you want one who can fill a lot of roles,” Polian said. “Ray can do that.”