Arrowhead Report

Chiefs Have Had Eyes on ‘Cobra’ Cornerback for Five Years

The Kansas City Chiefs added in free agency a 197-pound snake ready to strike opponent running backs.
Zak Gilbert|
Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) runs the ball against Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) runs the ball against Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Kansas City Chiefs

Over the past 18 months, NFL teams have dished out $686 million in contracts to five players from LSU’s 2019 national championship team. Four of the five are fairly prominent, but the Chiefs got the one with the best nickname.

“One of my coaches, he gave me the nickname ‘Cobra’ because I just strike people whenever I tackle,” cornerback Kristian Fulton told reporters Thursday in his first comments since signing a two-year, $20 million contract with the Chiefs. “So, that kind of just stuck with me, and I realized how that stands out with the coaches. It's just a mentality, when I tackle.”

That physical mentality manifested in Fulton’s career-best 51 tackles last season with the Chargers, including 39 solo stops and three behind the line of scrimmage.

It also stood out to Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Merritt, who wanted the 5-11, 197-pound cornerback coming out of LSU in 2020. The Chiefs’ defensive coordinator loves cornerbacks unafraid to show a physical presence in the run game. And Merritt, Kansas City’s defensive backs coach, told Fulton the Chiefs had him high on their draft board five years ago.

“Both of them, great coaches, great, great guys,” Fulton said. “And they told me how much they love my game and they think I could be a key piece on the defense, fit right in on this team. And they watched me when I came out of college … they felt that they could take my game to another level.”

Spagnuolo and Merritt missed Fulton by just two selections in the 2020 draft. Tennessee selected Fulton at 61st overall in the second round, but Kansas City got linebacker Willie Gay, a plug-and-play four-year starter, with pick No. 63.

LSU in that draft also produced Joe Burrow (No. 1 overall) and Justin Jefferson (22). In the following two drafts, Fulton’s former teammates Ja’Marr Chase (No. 5 overall in 2021) and Derek Stingley (No. 3 overall in 2022) went in the top five.

After four years with the Titans, Fulton took his game to the AFC West and the Chargers. At SoFi Stadium in Week 4 last year, he was the player who intercepted Patrick Mahomes on the play in which Rashee Rice sustained a season-ending knee injury.

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Zak Gilbert
ZAK GILBERT

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office. He now serves as the Kansas City Chiefs Beat Writer On SI

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