I can understand why secondary help isn’t considered a primary need for the 2020 Chicago Bears, in the eyes of some. After all, the team is bringing back four defensive backs with prior starting experience in Chicago, has already won a bidding war for CFL standout Tre Roberson, and has added a free agent with a first-round pedigree in Artie Burns.
But in a division featuring Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Kirk Cousins, the defensive backfield needs to be an absolute strength. No questions asked. With that in mind, I’ve been doing my best to keep an eye on cornerbacks who’ve met with the Bears in some way, shape, or form in the pre-draft process. And one of the latest names to pop up is that of Kristian Fulton, a standout defender for college football’s national champions.
Draft Wire’s Justin Melo has the scoop on the Bears being among the teams with eyes on the LSU product:
I interviewed @LSUfootball CB Kristian Fulton (@Kriss1_) for @TheDraftWire. He has the tools to shut down his side of the field in coverage. The #Bears, #Cowboys, #Titans, #Broncos & #Colts are among the teams showing interest.https://t.co/3M1NueCxNt#NFLDraft | #GeauxTigers
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) April 13, 2020
Fulton’s résumé is as legit as they come:
Fulton is a premier prospect and one of the most highly regarded cornerbacks in a class that boasts as many as nine players who could conceivably be drafted in the first round. And because of the depth at the position, a prospect such as Fulton could slip into Round 2.
But a deeper dive into Fulton’s profile unearths an eyebrow-raising decision.
Fulton was handed a two-year suspension in February 2017 by the NCAA for tampering with a drug test for performance-enhancing drugs. He would later appeal the decision, arguing that it was his belief that the test was for recreational drugs. It was denied by the NCAA and Fulton sat out the entire 2017 season. Fulton would file a second appeal, this time with an attorney who argued that proper drug-testing protocol wasn’t followed. This appeal was also denied in August 2018, but the suspension was overturned later in the month, which allowed Fulton to return to the playing field.
(Michael: In short, it seems as though Fulton, at age 18, was worried about failing a drug test for recreational purposes (think: marijuana) and made a bad decision to use someone else’s urine. He was caught and, rightfully, paid a hefty price. It’s worth mentioning, however, that his own urine was eventually tested and came back completely free of any performance enhancing drugs. Was this a dumb decision? Absolutely. But do I understand the nerves of an 18-year-old who thinks some pot is going to derail his entire future? Of course. Ultimately, this shouldn’t be – in isolation – a reason not to draft him, in my opinion.)
In any case, the Bears haven’t been publicly connected to any prospects with off-field red flags since GM Ryan Pace took over in 2015. And not since Ray McDonald was cut in 2015, has the team been involved with a player with off-field issues. That’s why the video meeting with Fulton stood out to me.
Are the Bears interested in him as a prospect? Are they in search of further clarity regarding his suspension? Is this a fact-finding mission? Or possibly part of a broader process in which they ask about one of his teammates? It’s not as if LSU has any shortage of draft-eligible players who could be Bears fits. I simply can’t come to a conclusion at this time without knowing more about the situation.
In the end, I find myself circling back to Fulton as a prospect. The Bears have a need for a cornerback with Fulton’s lock-down defensive skills. And depending on how the board shakes out, Fulton could be available in the second round. Should Chicago draft Fulton, perhaps we would be privy to a more concrete answer regarding our line of questioning. In the meantime, Fulton’s name is added to a list of the most interesting prospects the Bears have met with during the pre-draft process.