Fuller Drafted By Bears
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It's been 10 years, but 'DBU' has another first-round draft pick to add to its resume.
Former Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller was selected in the first round of tonight's NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the No. 14 pick. Fuller is the first Hokie selected in the first round since running back David Wilson went to the New York Giants with the No. 32 pick in 2012 and the highest Virginia Tech defensive back drafted in the first round since Deangelo Hall went to the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 8 pick in 2004.
Fuller played in nine of the Hokies' 13 games last season, starting eight of them. A strained groin limited him over the final two months of the season and also forced him to miss Virginia Tech's Sun Bowl loss to UCLA. He had surgery to repair a core muscle Nov. 19.
But in his nine games, Fuller had 24 tackles, two for loss, with two interceptions, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Last season, he was a second-team all-American, coaches first-team all-ACC and third-team all-ACC.
But Fuller bounced back this spring and impressed numerous scouts and coaches in February at the NFL Combine with a 4.49 40-yard dash, 128-inch broad jump and 38.5-inch vertical jump. In March, at Virginia Tech's pro day, Fuller drew San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly.
Fuller becomes the 17th Virginia Tech defensive back drafted since 2000. He's also the third member of his family to be drafted. Former Hokies wide receiver Corey Fuller was drafted in the sixth round (No. 171 overall) by the Detroit Lions last season. Their older brother Vincent Fuller, a former Virginia Tech safety, went to Tennessee with the 108th pick in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. And their younger brother, Kendall Fuller, a sophomore cornerback with the Hokies this fall, was the ACC defensive rookie of the year last season.