Last season, safety Jordan Fuller was the breakout surprise of the Los Angeles Rams: Going from No. 199 overall in the NFL Draft, to intercepting legend Tom Brady twice and producing five games of six tackles or more.
Fuller then began the start of training camp wearing a green dot on his helmet. It’s not just any dot, though, it means the Rams are testing him out to call the defensive signals as noted by Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
I saw a green dot on Jordan Fuller’s helmet 👀 And Aaron Donald confirmed it when I asked him just now – Fuller is calling signals so far this year. More coming on this later for @TheAthleticNFL
But on Friday, Rams reporter J.B. Long asked the free safety who this year’s Fuller will be on the team.
The former Ohio State Buckeye pondered on the question for nearly 10 seconds first, then blurted out three veteran names to look out for who line up alongside him.
“I don’t want to name one person because I think we have a few guys,” Fuller said first. “But I’m going to say: Look out for Nick Scott, Terrell Burgess and David Long.”
🚨LIVE: Jordan Fuller joins the Rams Camp Live crew from UC Irvine presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union
Scott Aiming to Go From Specialist to Starter
The Rams’ safety room is a glutted one, with guys much healthier from a year ago plus some undrafted free agents looking to crack the final 53-player chart.
Scott, though, is one of the elder safeties on the roster at 26 and is currently halfway through a four-year deal he signed back in 2019.
On Thursday, Scott had a strong outing at UC Irvine per Rams team reporter Stu Jackson, who wrote how the former Penn State Nittany Lion nearly pulled off an interception during the 7-on-7 period.
Scott has played in 31 total games with the Rams, but mostly on special teams. Yet, outside of snatching tackles on special teams, he has this highlight from his punt team stats in 2019.
Former Penn State defensive back Nick Scott converts for the Rams on the fake punt
But the Rams are likely hoping he can be a pass breakup artist, like the sample he shows here on Seattle’s Tyler Lockett during the NFC playoffs this past January that sent the Rams to Green Bay.
Nick Scott comes up with a BIG deflection to help the Rams advance 🔒🧊
Burgess A Highlight in the First Week of Camp
Looks like the former Utah Ute Burgess is on a “I’m back and I’m stronger than ever” tour.
Burgess is not only shown to be fully recovered from his season-ending ankle injury from late last season, he’s shown his instinctive side at Crawford Field according to Jackson.
Terrell Burgess having a great day today. Had a pick-six during team drills earlier, just now had a pass breakup on a Matthew Stafford pass over the middle intended for DeSean Jackson.
Jackson first pointed out Burgess’s breakout day on the first camp day in his “10 Observations” from Wednesday, which includes details of his pick six.
In limited action, Burgess made more plays close to the line of scrimmage. But if his ball-hawking side stays consistent, you could be looking at a possible NFL Comeback Player of the Year candidate.
Long Ready to Break Into CB Rotation?
When Troy Hill departed via free agency, it left David Long with the opportunity to finally break into the Rams secondary.
So far, he’s shown he can be worthy of the spot Long left behind. But he’s in competition with rookie Robert Rochell.
Yet, Long’s head coach Sean McVay says Long is part of a confident group in the secondary, which gives him trust in Long and company.
“Those are guys that you have a lot of confidence in what they can do,” McVay said to reporters after the second day of camp, mentioning Long, Fuller, Burgess and included fellow safety Taylor Rapp. “But then actually getting that tangible experience where now you’re playing in these meaningful games that count, that’s going to be the thing that I’m excited to see from those guys.”
If Long is able to recapture his lockdown/takeaway side from his Ann Arbor, Michigan days, then the graduate of nearby Loyola High School in L.A. could finally have his NFL breakout campaign, as Fuller predicted.
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Safety Jordan Fuller Reveals His 3 Breakout Rams for This Season