Kyle Fuller Already Ahead of Schedule in Bright Young NFL Career
Published by Matt Bowen on September 26, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Just three games into his pro career, Chicago Bears rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller has developed into a playmaker because of his eye discipline, transition speed and ball skills.
Let’s break down the tape on Fuller and discuss how the first-round pick is putting himself in a position to find the football and produce in Mel Tucker’s defensive scheme.
Leverage Wins in Chicago
Fuller has the skill set to match up outside of the numbers in the NFL because he can play press, accelerate out of the break and run with the top of the route tree.
He’s a physical player—a rookie who wants to challenge receivers.
That was on display back in Bourbonnais, Illinois, at Bears training camp during one-on-one sessions versus Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, when I watched the rookie line up in press and compete against two of the NFL’s top wideouts.
However, when you study the Virginia Tech product, his ability to play within Tucker’s scheme stands out because he knows where his help is on the field.
This is something young defensive backs struggle with, as they often lose leverage and fail to use their safety help (funnel receivers inside) playing Cover 1, Cover 3 or an outside fire zone 1/3 technique.
After watching the tape on Fuller, it’s clear that he understands leverage, technique and the importance of maintaining a cushion from a coverage perspective.
The rookie holds his outside leverage position consistently in Cover 1/Cover 3 while utilizing a “bail” technique (open/sink at the snap) to maintain that cushion and stack on top of receivers.
As a defensive back, you want to be in control throughout the stem to play through the three-step game, break on the ball in the intermediate route tree (12-15 yards) or carry the vertical concepts down the field.
Here’s a good example on Fuller’s first NFL interception versus Colin Kaepernick with the 49ers running the speed out (three-step) against the Bears’ Cover 3 defense (three-deep, four-under).
As you can see, Fuller is in the proper leverage position (outside shade) and maintains a four-yard cushion at the break point with Michael Crabtree running the outside cut.
That allows Fuller to play his “bail” technique (open to the quarterback), sink his hips and drive to the upfield shoulder of the receiver (proper technique for defensive backs).
This is where we see the transition speed (speed out of the break) from Fuller and the ability to finish on the ball as he produces a clean, downhill angle to make this play.
During the Monday night win over the Jets, Fuller picked up another interception on a very poor decision from Geno Smith when the quarterback forced the ball into the end zone.
However, this is another example of the rookie knowing where his help is (end line) and utilizing technique to be in the proper position to find the ball.
Fuller plays through the “stutter 7” (stutter at top of the route, sell the post, break to the corner) and “plasters” to his coverage once Smith gets outside of the pocket.
This gives Fuller the opportunity to use the end line as his help while leaning on the “basketball turn” technique (roll underneath the receiver in the end zone) to stay in front of the receiver.
Again, we are looking at a poor decision here from Smith. But with the technique—and field awareness of Fuller—the rookie produced yet another pick in a crucial game situation.
“Knowing where your help is” might be one of the most underrated aspects of the secondary, as it allows defensive backs to hold their leverage and play to the upfield shoulder of the receiver at the point of attack.
And this is one of the main reasons Fuller is making plays already this season.
Avoiding “Tunnel Vision” in the Secondary
Rookies often simplify the game to survive early in the season by using “tunnel vision” instead of seeing the entire field.
In Cover 1, get your man. We all understand that.
However, for zone-based defenses, rookies will miss opportunities to make a play or vacate zones by locking in on receivers.
Since Fuller has replaced Charles Tillman (after the veteran went down for the season with a triceps injury), the Bears have leaned heavily on their zone defenses (Cover 2 and Cover 3).
This has forced Fuller to play his Cover 2 technique (jam, reroute and sink to protect versus the 7 cut) and maintain his discipline as a deep outside 1/3 defender in Cover 3 (match vertical release from No. 1) within Tucker’s scheme versus combination routes (multilevel route concepts).
Fuller has made mistakes (look at the missed tackle in Cover 2 on Monday night that resulted in an explosive play), but the rookie has shown the ability to get his eyes back inside to the quarterback while seeing the entire field.
Here’s a good example of Fuller’s ability to identify route concepts and find the ball when he intercepted his second pass of the night versus the 49ers.
The Bears are playing Cover 3 in this situation with Fuller utilizing his “bail” technique and stacking on top of the deep out/comeback in the outside 1/3.
Because he is in control of the route—with his eyes back inside to Kaepernick—Fuller can identify the deep 7 cut from the No. 2 receiver.
That allows Fuller to drop the out/comeback and fall directly into the throwing lane on the corner route to make this play on a concept designed to beat Cover 3.
With more live game reps as this season rolls on, Fuller can continue to develop within the Bears’ zone schemes while impacting the passing game because of the eye discipline and the route recognition he displays on the tape.
That’s key when breaking down the Bears’ core coverages and the zone pressure schemes (rush five, drop six) that Tucker carries in his game plan.
Rookies Defensive Backs Are Prime Targets
Heading into Week 4 of the 2014 season, Fuller is the top-ranked cornerback in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Looking at Fuller’s playmaking skills (three interceptions, two forced fumbles), plus his ability to win in coverage and support the run, there is no question he is producing.
But I still want to see how Fuller responds when he is targeted down the field consistently—because it’s coming.
Going back through the tape (Fuller played in the Bears’ sub-package during the Week 1 loss to the Bills), the rookie hasn’t been challenged much over the top. I’m talking about the fade, post, deep double move, “dino” stem, etc., where opposing offenses create one-on-one matchups and take a shot down the field.
With a game this Sunday versus Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, plus divisional matchups this season against Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, Fuller will be tested.
That’s part of the transition process for rookie defensive backs as they make corrections throughout the season.
As I wrote yesterday in my Week 4 film preview, I haven’t seen a rookie defensive back around the ball like this since I played with Sean Taylor in Washington during the ’04 season.
Fuller deserves the hype. And the tape supports it.
Now we get to find out if he can continue to play at a high level this season and build off the production he has shown to start his pro career.
Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.
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