After a lost rookie campaign in 2020 due to injury, Tennessee Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton hasn’t just turned the corner in 2021, he has become one of the better cornerbacks in the entire NFL.
If you want evidence other than the eye test we use on Sundays, look no further than this stat from Pro Football Focus.
According to PFF, Fulton’s pass rating allowed in zone coverage is an eye-opening 14.6, the second-best mark in the league. Only Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (11.1) has a lower passer rating allowed.
Fulton has been targeted 46 times this season. He’s allowed a completion on 22 of those attempts (47.8 percent completion rate), with two interceptions, 11 passes defensed, and a passer rating allowed of 67.7.
Lowest passer rating allowed in zone-coverage:
📡 A.J. Terrell – 11.1
📡 Kristian Fulton – 14.6
📡 J.C. Jackson – 32.9 pic.twitter.com/RdfoJYGZ9t— PFF (@PFF) December 18, 2021
If they haven’t already, opposing offenses are going to start learning that targeting the receiver guarded by Fulton is not the best approach, something the Jacksonville Jaguars seemingly learned for the first time in Week 14.
During the game, announcer Jay Feely stated that the Jags’ plan was to go after Fulton, which made every Titans fan scratch their head. As it turns out, that was actually the game plan, as Feely later revealed.
This was what Trevor told us in the meeting…don’t kill the messenger
He did try, and Fulton made him pay— Jay Feely (@jayfeely) December 13, 2021
Jags gonna Jag…
After seeing Fulton’s enormous leap in 2021, the Titans can only hope first-round pick and cornerback Caleb Farley, whose season ended early due to a torn ACL, can take the same path.
If so, the Titans will have quite the formidable secondary for years to come with Fulton, Farley and slot cornerback Elijah Molden. For now, we can just bask in the glory of the Titans hitting a home run with Fulton.
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