For the second time in four years, Ohio State has had three defensive backs selected in the same NFL draft.
Former Ohio State safety Jordan Fuller was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 199 overall selection – the same pick with which the New England Patriots selected Tom Brady 20 years ago – in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
LETS GET IT!!! #GoRams https://t.co/y9SuQ9b88l
— Jordan Fuller (@j_fuller4) April 25, 2020
Fuller joins Ohio State cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette, who were both first-round picks, as the third player from the Buckeyes' secondary to hear his name called this week.
Ohio State previously had two cornerbacks and a safety selected in the same draft in 2017, when Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley were all first-round picks.
A three-year starter and two-time captain at Ohio State, Fuller recorded 224 total tackles and five interception in his Buckeye career. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for his play on the field in 2019 while he was a three-time Academic All-American and a Campbell Trophy finalist for his work in the classroom.
Fuller played primarily as a single-high free safety for the Buckeyes in 2019, but also has experience playing in the box and covering slot receivers. He's not an elite athlete by NFL safety standards, which is why he wasn't drafted until the sixth round, but he's a player who has been regularly praised for his football IQ, discipline and consistency while he also has extensive experience on special teams, where he'll need to be able to contribute as a likely backup safety to start his professional career.
In Los Angeles, Fuller projects as a backup safety to Rams starters John Johnson and Taylor Rapp. They also drafted Terrell Burgess, a safety from Utah, in the third round.
Fuller is the eighth Buckeye selected in this year's draft, joining first-round picks Chase Young, Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette, second-round pick J.K. Dobbins and third-round picks DaVon Hamilton, Jonah Jackson and Malik Harrison.
He is the first Buckeye drafted by the Los Angeles Rams since back when they were in St. Louis, where they drafted Christian Bryant in 2014. He joins one other former Ohio State player, Jake McQuaide, on the Rams' current roster.
