The Tennessee Titans addressed their need for a cornerback in a big way on Friday night with the selection of Kristian Fulton in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Here are five things to know about one of the newest Titans.
Two-year starter at LSU
Fulton made 25 starts over the course of his LSU career and showed true lockdown corner potential after forcing the best incompletion percentage (29.1 percent) among college corners with a minimum of 500 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
In his senior season, Fulton earned second-team All-SEC honors and graded out as the top corner in the nation. He also graduated with a degree in sports administration.
Projected first-round pick
I don’t recall seeing a single mock that had Fulton going in the second round, and I looked at a ton of them prior to the 2020 NFL Draft. So, as the second round carried on and Fulton remained on the board, it was quite shocking to say the least.
Once the Titans were on the clock and had Fulton just sitting there, general manager Jon Robinson simply had to pull the trigger. The move also helped atone for his passing up on a corner in the first round in favor of a tackle.
In the end, the Titans got the offensive lineman they wanted in Isaiah Wilson and were still able to land a first-round talent at the cornerback position in Fulton. That’s quite a haul.
Versatility
Fulton will end up being an outside corner with lockdown potential at the next level thanks to his size, toughness and coverage skills.
However, Fulton could also play out of the slot in 2020, which is a big area of need for the Titans. On top of his impressive size and physicality, Fulton possesses 4.46 40-yard dash speed to hang with faster receivers.
The LSU product checks multiple boxes for Tennessee.
College suspension
Fulton was hit with a two-year suspension in college, forcing him to miss the 2017 season.
The LSU corner was caught tampering with a PED test that he thought would bring up a positive result for marijuana, resulting in the two-year ban.
However, because the lab report didn’t show any PEDs and only marijuana, Fulton’s suspension was reduced to just one year, allowing him to play in the 2018 season.
This might be one possible explanation for why Fulton fell as far as he did.
COVID-19 tragedy
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit close to home for Fulton, as he lost his grandfather to it just a few weeks ago, according to Rod Walker of The Advocate.
He’ll be watching at home with his parents and brother Keith Jr. and other family members. One of his biggest fans won’t be there. Louis Fulton Jr., Kristian’s grandfather, died two weeks ago because of the coronavirus.
“He’d really be proud,” Fulton said about his grandfather.
Fulton isn’t the only Titan who has been impacted by the COVID-19, as Titans great Eddie George’s father is currently battling it, also.
