Fulton Fast Tracks First NFL Interception
NASHVILLE – Kristian Fulton was in the right place at the right time Sunday.
The Tennessee Titans’ second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft notched his first career interception in just his second game. It happened with 7:51 to play in the first quarter of his team’s 33-30 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium.
The ball came Fulton’s way after it went off the hands of the intended receiver, Collin Johnson, and the rookie cornerback gathered it in cleanly. It was the Titans’ first interception of the season.
“It felt great to get the pick,” Fulton said. “First NFL pick. Glad it came early in my career. Just have to come back and keep getting better every week.”
Fulton is one of three rookies with an interception through the first two weeks of this season. Kansas City’s L’Jarius Sneed, a fifth-round pick, has two and Jacksonville’s C.J. Henderson, a first-round choice out of Florida has one.
What’s notable, though, is that for the other two, that is nothing new. Sneed picked off eight passes in four seasons at Louisiana Tech, including three each of the last two years. Henderson had six interceptions in three years at Florida, including four in 2017.
Fulton, a two-year starter at LSU, had just two interceptions in 28 career games, one in each of the last two years.
“I had more interceptions, but they had penalties that took the others away,” Fulton said on draft day. “I think one of them somebody had a late hit on the quarterback, another one somebody had targeted on the quarterback, and so it was some other penalties too. … It kind of wasn’t on me on why they didn’t count.
“That definitely is one thing I want to improve on, get turnovers, that helps the offense get back on the field to score more points.”
So far, so good.
Fulton’s pick ended the Jaguars’ opening possession and set up a Titans touchdown. He returned it 44 yards down the left side (pictured) to the Jacksonville 30. Five plays later, Corey Davis caught a nine-yard touchdown pass that gave Tennessee a 14-0 lead.
“I thought it was good he got his hand on the ball, and then just being ready to go,” coach Mike Vrabel said.
It is tied for the longest interception return by any NFL player through the first two weeks (Carolina’s Dante Jackson also took one back 44 yards) and it set up the shortest of the Titans’ four touchdown drives against the Jaguars.
“I saw the ball in the air and grabbed it and tried to make a play to put us in good field position,” Fulton said. “… I was just doing my job, doing what I do.”
At least that is what he and Titans hope he will do often in the NFL.
