Rams safety Jordan Fuller already playing like a seasoned veteran...

Despite his 199th spot out of the 2020 NFL Draft, LA Rams safety Jordan Fuller already playing like a seasoned veteran

[ramblinfan.com]


Many expected the LA Rams to select a linebacker, offensive lineman, cornerback, or even a second wide receiver with the 199th selection of the 2020 NFL Draft. Instead, the team chose Ohio State safety Jordan Fuller. In that sixth-round selection, the LA Rams had already filled a perceived NFL caliber safety by choosing Utah’s Terrell Burgess with the 104th selection. This was the year that was unforgiving to rookies trying to earn playing time, and next to impossible for late-round rookies. And yet, here we are heading into week three, and there is rookie safety Jordan Fuller solidifying his grasp of the second starting safety role on defense.

Fuller seized the chance to play
Fuller seized the opportunity in training camp when starter and second-year safety Taylor Rapp tweaked his knee. That opened the door for both Burgess and Fuller to catch the coach’s attention. While Burgess made some solid plays, Fuller looked like an NFL Vet and that hasn’t changed through week two. Keep in mind that Fuller has faced the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. While completely different offenses, Fuller was tasked quite a bit with stopping excellent featured running backs while also providing pass coverage against some of the best receivers in the NFL. So far, he’s been holding his own. In fact, he’s been showing up big.


Key cog to Staley-styled defense
Fuller is not just an orange pylon in the defensive secondary. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley needs a specific type of player in the Rams secondary. Fuller is one such custom-fit player. He is a huge-bodied defender who is one of the key defensive cogs that makes the Staley secondary purr like a high-performance engine. He is 6-foot-2 and 203-pounds. So far, he’s missed just one of 143 defensive snaps. So how is he playing?

He’s second on the team with 17 tackles. While opposing quarterbacks have completed four of five passes targeting him, he has held the average yards-after-catch to a very impressive 4.75 YPC.

Fuller keeps getting better
Staley has designed a very confusing and deceptive defense. That deception needs players who can not only play pass and run defense but can sell the deception to fool opposing quarterbacks. Check out this analysis by Bleeding Green’s analyst Benjamin Solak, and how even in the analysis the Rams safeties are very deceptive.

We have already featured Jordan Fuller in a recent article after his game one performance. That reinforced our post-draft feature on the young safety. While we are by no means touting Fuller as a completely finished product, he’s certainly starting from a good point to have a very successful NFL career. For his first two games, he’s had a good beginning to something special. Let’s hope it continues along the same trajectory.