While the majority of the Tennessee Titans’ last two draft classes have been disappointing thus far, cornerback Kristian Fulton has been one of the exceptions.
After an injury-plagued rookie campaign in 2020, Fulton made huge strides in 2021 and cemented himself both as Tennessee’s top cornerback and one of the better young players at his position in the NFL.
Fulton reflected on his 2021 campaign earlier this week when the Titans were cleaning out their lockers following the divisional-round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I feel like I had a pretty decent year,” Fulton said. “A lot I can learn from. I feel like I kind of got the staying healthy part of the NFL, but still more work to do on that side.”
As far as what he can do to improve in 2022, Fulton says he wants to get better from a mental standpoint and has a goal of making at least three or four impact plays per contest.
“Just going back and re-watching the film to know where I can get better at. From a mental standpoint, I feel that would help me going forward,” Fulton said. “Just being better mentally in situations of the game and being a person that can make an impact on the game. I need to make at least three or four impact plays. However we can do that, that’s what I’ve got to accept.”
If Fulton can indeed take that next step and make even more of an impact on a weekly basis than he did in 2021, he’ll be an elite corner.
The LSU product tallied 40 tackles, 14 passes defended and two interceptions this past season. His coverage numbers were excellent, also, as he permitted a completion rate of just 51.4 percent on passes thrown his way and held opposing signal-callers to a QB rating of 71.3.
Tennessee can only hope that Fulton’s teammate and 2021 first-round pick, Caleb Farley, can make the same leap the 2020 second-rounder did in his second season.
If he can, Tennessee’s cornerbacks group, which also features standout slot cornerback Elijah Molden, will be set for years to come.
