Top-20 Rams: Jordan Fuller working his way up list of ‘greatest sixth round picks ever’

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TOP 20 RAMS OF 2022
Top-20 Rams: Jordan Fuller working his way up list of ‘greatest sixth round picks ever’
It’s hard to make a name for yourself at the back end of the draft, but Fuller is calling plays in the back of the defense

By Kenneth Arthur@KennethArthuRS Jul 6, 2022, 10:01am CDT 6 Comments

Los Angeles Rams Mandatory Minicamp
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
This was supposed to be Terrell Burgess’s name in the top-20. Maybe Burgess will catch up soon. Maybe Burgess will even surpass Jordan Fuller.

But through their first two seasons in the league, it hasn’t even been close.

Drafted with the 199th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Fuller was a three-year starter at Ohio State but rather than get credit for being a standout with the Buckeyes, he was overshadowed by secondary teammates like Jeffrey Okudah and Damon Arnette. Two seasons later, Fuller has taken on ‘green dot’ duties for a highly-ranked Rams defense while Okudah hopes to revive his career with the Detroit Lions and Arnette doesn’t even have a team right now.

Fuller’s 2021 season didn’t end as he had hoped it would, but his third season is another chance to prove himself as a necessary part of Sean McVay’s defense for the long-term. If L.A. doesn’t give Fuller an extension prior to 2024 free agency, it could be the Rams wondering why they overlooked him again after the NFL made the same mistake in 2020.

And even after the Rams had already selected a different safety in round three of that same year.

#15 - S Jordan Fuller
A surprise Week 1 starter in 2020, Fuller was injured in Week 3 and then later had a short stint on IR. He then intercepted Tom Brady (his #199 draftsake) twice in Week 11 and picked off Jimmy Garoppolo once in Week 12.

San Francisco 49ers v Los Angeles Rams
Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
Fuller followed up his rookie season by taking on playcalling duties in 2021 after John Johnson left to sign with the Cleveland Browns. Fuller recorded a career-best 113 tackles in 16 games, also intercepting one pass (off of Ravens backup Tyler Huntley) and recording one tackle for a loss.

But then Fuller missed the entire postseason with an ankle injury, prompting a return of Eric Weddle—which may have made the defense even a little bit better, if anything.


The Rams do have a lot of depth at safety now, having added Quentin Lake (another sixth round safety) in addition to Nick Scott, Taylor Rapp, and Burgess. But Fuller is 24 and has over 1,700 defensive snaps of experience through two seasons, which is 1,700 more than the typical sixth round pick.

Fuller has already been good. I think the best has yet to come.

Previously:
First one out - CB Robert Rochell
#20 - QB John Wolford
#19 - CB Troy Hill
#18 - C Brian Allen
#17 - ILB Ernest Jones
#16 - WR Van Jefferson
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C Brian Allen
S Jordan Fuller
WR Van Jefferson
ILB Ernest Jones
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