Xavier Fulton facts for kids
Fulton during Illinois' 2007 spring practice.
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| No. 59 | |
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| Position: | Offensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | April 18, 1986 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight: | 287 lb (130 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Flossmoor (IL) Homewood-Flossmoor |
| College: | Illinois |
| NFL Draft: | 2009 / Round: 5 / Pick: 155 |
| Career history | |
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| CFL status: | International |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
| Player stats at CFL.ca | |
Xavier Allen Fulton (born April 18, 1986) is an American former professional football player. He played as an offensive tackle, which is a position on the offensive line that protects the quarterback and helps block for running plays.
Fulton was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft. Before that, he played college football for the University of Illinois. He also played for several other teams, including the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, and teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
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Early Life and High School Football
Xavier Fulton grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He played football at Homewood-Flossmoor High School from 2000 to 2004. During his senior year, he was a strong defensive player. He made many tackles and sacks, which are when a player brings down the opposing team's quarterback.
Fulton was recognized as one of the best high school football players in Illinois. He was named to All-State teams by several newspapers and organizations. Many top colleges wanted him to play for their teams. He chose to attend the University of Illinois.
College Football Career
Fulton started his college career at Illinois as a defensive end. In his first year, he played in eight games. As a sophomore, he started seven games but had a knee injury that ended his season early.
After taking a year to recover, Fulton made a big change. In 2007, he switched from playing defensive end to offensive tackle. This was a new position for him, but he quickly became very good at it. He started every game as the left tackle for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He helped his team's offense gain many yards, especially in rushing.
Fulton's strong performance earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors in both 2007 and 2008. He also played in the 2008 Rose Bowl, which is a very famous college football game. In 2008, he received the Bruce Capel Award for his courage and dedication. He graduated from the University of Illinois in December 2008 with a degree in sociology.
Professional Football in the NFL
Before the 2009 NFL draft, Xavier Fulton showed impressive athletic skills at the NFL Scouting Combine. He performed well in many drills, like the 40-yard dash and vertical jump. He was considered a top offensive tackle from the Big Ten Conference.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Fulton in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team. However, he tore a ligament in his knee during a preseason game in September 2009. This injury meant he could not play for the entire season.
After recovering, Fulton was released by the Buccaneers in 2010. He then spent time on the practice squads of the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers. He also signed with the Washington Redskins for a short period.
Playing in the CFL
In 2012, Xavier Fulton moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In November 2013, his team won the Grey Cup, which is the championship game of the CFL.
Fulton continued to play for the Roughriders until 2016. He was then traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and later to the Montreal Alouettes before ending his professional football career.
Boxing Career
Besides football, Xavier Fulton also trained in boxing. He used boxing as a way to stay in shape for football. In February 2012, he entered the Golden Gloves competition in Chicago. He became a Golden Gloves Champion in April 2012. He had an undefeated record of 3 wins and 0 losses in his boxing career.
Personal Life
Xavier Fulton has a younger brother named Zach Fulton, who also played as an offensive lineman. Zach played college football at the University of Tennessee and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Xavier Fulton is known for having a deep voice, similar to famous actors like James Earl Jones and Dennis Haysbert. He has also done some voice-over work.
Images for kids
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Fulton during Illinois' 2007 spring practice.
