Kyle Fuller: All In The Family

The Fuller family has produced it’s share of NFL players over the last decade. The newest member is set to join the ranks as an NFL cornerback. Kyle Fuller is one of the best corners in the 2014 draft class. He is very likely to be a day one selection when the draft takes place in May. The competitive spirit that exists within the Fuller family has only sharpened Kyle Fuller’s athletic ability and helped to fuel him on his quest to become a professional athlete.

Kyle said that he figured out what career path he wanted to take at a young age. “I was around eight years old when I first wanted to play in the NFL. We loved playing flag football. I always wanted to play. I’m very competitive especially with my brothers. It has helped me get to where I am now. We always want to be better than each other. We competed in everything that we did, video games, we raced, basketball everything.”

Those brothers include Vincent Fuller, a safety out of Virginia Tech drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft and Corey Fuller, a wide receiver selected in the sixth round in the 2013 NFL draft. Kendall Fuller is currently a corner at Virginia Tech. He and Kyle got to play together last year at Virginia Tech. That proved to be a memorable experience. Kyle reflected on playing with Kendall and looked forward to the possibility of playing along side Corey. “It would be a lot to play with my brother Cory. I had the time if my life playing with Kendall. Felt bad that it got cut short with my injury.”

There is still a competition between the two Fuller brothers. Kyle told me that he wanted to beat Corey’s 4.37 time in the forty at the combine. His official 4.49 time came up short of Corey’s time but it turned heads none the less. Kyle has gotten to see first hand how far Cory has come and how much better he’s got. They work out together at Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Kyle had an injury that held him out of the Senior Bowl and it was something that he was working to get right prior to the combine. The two brothers have been able to get reps against each other but Kyle has been rehabbing his injury.

Having brothers that went through the draft process will be a good resource for Kyle Fuller. They helped him to understand what he has in store for himself in the NFL. “I talk to my brothers here and there. Means a lot growing up with brothers in the NFL. Makes you want to get to that level and work hard to get there. All of the hard work and focus my brothers put in showed an example. We always grew up on taking care of the little things. That’s what we work on. My brother told me to relax and that I’m a football player. Just be myself, this is something that I’ve done all my life.”

One of the best qualities that Fuller has is his physicality. He surprised me with his measurements at the combine. Fuller was measured at six feet which is a far cry from the 5-9/5-10 that I thought he would come in at. The physical style of play was evident in the Alabama and Georgia Tech games. Mike Mayock of NFL Network has said that he felt that Fuller is worthy of a first round selection, especially after he ran a sub 4.5o in the forty. The field drills are really where Fuller made his mark. He was very smooth as he transitioned from his back pedal to close on throws. He was also able to show how fluid and loose his lower body is as he flipped his hips to turn and run in timed backpedal drills.

You can expect Kyle Fuller to make an immediate impact on an NFL team. He will compete for and probably take over the nickel position on most teams. Covering the slot receiver is one of his strong points. Being as though he is from Virginia Tech, you can rest assured Fuller is strong on special teams. Virginia Tech is a program that places a big time emphasis on special teams. May 8th will be a great day for the Fuller family as another member is granted access to the NFL.