LSU Defensive Backs Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton Meet with Media at 2020 NFL Combine
LSU safety Grant Delpit hears all of the media scrutiny. The one time projected top-10 pick is now considered by many to be an end of the first round pick after a season that saw a dip in overall production and a tackling problem crop up.
The former safety fielded questions from the media on Friday about his draft stock, acknowledging he needs to improve on his tackling but said it was something he gradually improved as the season went on.
"I get a lot of hate and slander from the media but I think that's going to make the glory so much better in the end," Delpit said. "They say tackling is definitely something I have to improve on from last year. I got it fixed towards the end of the season but it's all about the approach and not trying to do too much.
"It's just about getting them to the ground, it's a part of football and I know I can do it because I've been doing it my whole life."
Delpit and Alabama safety Xavier McKinney are considered the cream of the crop in the 2020 safety class and most likely will be the top two drafted come April 23. The LSU safety said he believes he's the best all around safety mainly because of the versatility he showed when on the field, whether it be close to the line of scrimmage or lined up as free safety.
"Of course I think I'm the best safety in this class," Delpit said. "Versatility, leader on the field, special teams, anything the coach needs I'll do. This last year I played a lot of free safety because it's what the team needed. I feel I'm a very unselfish player and we went 15-0 so I can't really complain.
"I'm trying to worry about myself and trying to do the best things I possibly can and meet with the teams that are interested in me and hopefully on draft day it works itself out."
While senior Kristian Fulton said he would be participating in the combine drills--slated to start Sunday for the defensive backs--Delpit confirmed that he would not be participating as he continues to nurse the high ankle sprain that bothered him at the end of last season.
Instead, Delpit will wait for LSU's pro day where he feels he will be 100% ready to showcase his talents. Delpit has several meetings lined up with interested teams including the Dallas Cowboys.
Fulton is an interesting case as he's considered by most to be a fringe first round pick with a high ceiling. His technique was likely only second to that of teammate's Derek Stingley in the SEC last season and while he wasn't a big play guy, he did his job, stifling most of the competition he faced last season.
Fulton was asked what makes him the best cornerback in the 2020 draft and he feels that two years of playing in the SEC against some of the best has prepared him technique wise for the NFL.
"Just from a competitive standpoint I feel like being in the SEC, I go up against the best receivers," Fulton said. "You go and look and tell me who's put numbers up on me. I feel like that's what really separates me. It's a great cornerback class but I don't feel like anybody's technique is as sound as mine and I just get the job done every Saturday."
It also helped Fulton that he was going up against possibly the best trio of receivers in all of college football last season between Ja'Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall and Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson was one of the highlights of Thursday's combine, posting a 4.43 40-yard dash, ensuring his first round pick status and quite possibly improving his stock as well. Fulton said what separates Jefferson from the rest of what analysts and experts are calling one of the deepest receiver classes ever, is his competitive nature.
"He's a different type of competitor because he wants to win every rep, he's going to talk trash and most importantly he's going to back it up," Fulton said. "I feel like he's a finesse receiver so you just have to be patient with him. There's a lot of finesse receivers in the NFL like Keenan Allen, Devonte Adams so I feel like he's prepared me for those kinds of receivers."
Delpit and Fulton went through measurements on Thursday and Fulton will start participating in drills on Sunday. Here is how the two measured:
Kristian Fulton
Height: 5-11 5/8
Weight: 197
Hand: 9 1/8
Arm: 30 5/8
Wingspan: 71 7/8
Grant Delpit
Height: 6-2 4/8
Weight: 213
Hand: 9 1/8
Arm: 30 3/8
Wingspan: 74 4/8
