Chicago Bears: Kyle Fuller helps soften the Aaron Donald loss

The Chicago Bears came so close to grabbing a superstar for their defense in 2014. Just one pick away and so many fans are still upset about it.

The setup seemed so perfect. In need of a new pass rush presence on their rebuilding front four, the NFL draft offered up a young man from Pitt named Aaron Donald. He was quite the revelation to draft enthusiasts. Undersized at first glance but an absolute monster in the middle who could shoot gaps and make tackles in the backfield as well as anybody had ever seen. He looked like a potential star in the making if he landed in the right system.

As the first round unfolded that April, the excitement grew with each passing pick. The Bears sat at #14. Picks 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 passed by. Donald was still on the board. Just one more to go and they’d have their prize. Then it all came crashing down. The St. Louis Rams, picking one spot ahead of them at #13 ruined the party by selecting Donald. It wasn’t a huge surprise given they ran a similar defensive scheme. Still, GM Phil Emery came under a lot of scrutiny for that.

Why did he not try to move up a couple of spots? Donald was clearly worth the price. Nobody knows. In the end, he decided to go with Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller. To say it was an anticlimactic moment would be an understatement.

Kyle Fuller has steadily eased the pain of not getting Donald

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Early on, the pain of that missed opportunity was beyond intense. After a strong start to his rookie year, Fuller fell apart for the second half of 2014 and much of 2015. Then he missed all of 2016 due to a knee injury. Meanwhile, Donald was sacking quarterbacks for the Rams and eventually becoming Defensive Player of the Year. It was brutal for a lot of Bears fans to watch.

Then, ever so suddenly things changed. Fuller broke out in 2017 with the best season of his career, notching two interceptions and 22 passes defended. It was a welcome change of pace and many at least felt relieved that he’d developed into a serviceable starter. Except the 26-year old was just getting started. Over the course of 2018, he’s stepped up his game yet again.

Fuller has four interceptions in eight games so far, tied for most in the NFL. He came a drop away from it being five and also has two pass deflections that resulted in interceptions for teammates. He’s playing at an All-Pro level, something nobody expected just one year ago. While none would say he’s on the level of Donald, to see this happen definitely helps numb the pain of missing out on him four years ago.

Give Fuller credit for overcoming all he has and becoming one of the two or three best players on the Bears defense.

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