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NEW MEXICO:Former safety who developed into one of the best cornerbacks in New Mexico and Mountain West Conference history...three-time all-MWC selection (1st and 2nd team)...has the ability to be a true shut-down corner, eliminating one side of the field, when on his game...his 14 career interceptions were tied for the most in MWC history and T3rd all-time at UNM...Sharay Fields also had 14 for the Lobos between 1978-80...4 of his picks came in the end zone...had 4 multiple INT games...also had 16 passes broken up...47 games with 33 starts...has a natural feel for the game and a rare play-making ability...possesses tremendous feet, excellent speed and is a surprisingly physical player for his size...did an outstanding job of shooting upfield to neutralize outside runs and WR screens...showed excellent potential as the Lobos' primary punt and kick returner as a senior...very active and extremely confident...was easily the most vocal player on the team...could be heard encouraging, cajoling and ribbing teammates from the start to finish of virtually every practice, and was just as fiery on gameday...began his Lobo career as a wolf (strong) safety...switched to corner, his position in high school, during the first week of 2003 preseason practice and quickly moved atop the depth chart.2005 (SENIOR):Put together perhaps his finest, most consistent season in 2005...first team all-MWC selection by the league's media and coaches...tied for 6th in the country with 5 interceptions...was the Lobos' defensive hero early in the season, twice securing UNM victories with late game picks...matched his career-best INT total, which he set in 2004, and had 3 PBUs as well...total of 8 passes defended, but did not see many balls thrown his way in one-on-one coverage...opponents completed just 9 long passes (over 15 yards) against him in 11 games...77 interception return yards this year shattered his previous season high...39 tackles were 4 shy of his career-high...was strong in his new special teams role...ranked 4th in the MWC with an 7.7 avg. on his 22 punt returns, including a career-long of 26...joined the kickoff return team in the fifth week of the season and averaged 19.6 yards on his 17 run-backs, including a career-long of 31...averaged 52.6 return yards per game...vs. Colorado State...Had four tackles and a break-up on a 3rd down pass intended for CSU star David Anderson deep in Lobo territory...Rams kept Anderson on the opposite side of the field most of the night...also had a career-long 26-yard punt return to set up a 2nd quarter DonTrell Moore TD and had a 26-yard kickoff return as well...at San Diego State...Quietly enjoyed a strong game, playing a big role in the team's fine defensive performance...made 4 tackles, including several near the line of scrimmage...nearly notched an acrobatic INT, but officials ruled he did not have control of the ball when he landed...credited for a PBU on the play...did an outstanding job when matched up on SDSU star WR Jeff Webb in man coverage, limiting Webb to 4 catches for 35 yards...had the best return game of his college career, finishing with 120 yards on 9 touches...brought back 4 kicks for 75 yards, including a career-long of 31, and had 5 punt returns for 45 yards, including a career-long gain of 22...the Lobos' average field position following his punt returns was the UNM 43-yard line...at Wyoming...Matched his career-high in tackles for the second-straight week, finishing with 7...got upfield in a hurry to shut down running plays and make sure tackles on short passes...did a tremendous job in one-on-one coverage against Cowboy star WR Jovon Bouknight...Bouknight gained 96 yards with linemen blocking downfield for him on 4 screen passes, but had just a single catch for 10 yards on a traditional pass route...Fulbright knocked him out of the game briefly in the 1st half with a big hit to break up a pass...vs. BYU...Posted a career-high 7 tackles, including several outstanding plays shooting up the field to cut down Cougar swing passes...did a solid job of coverage on BYU WR Todd Watkins, holding him to 6 catches for 68 yards...Watkins had just 39 yards on 5 receptions before missed tackles resulted in a 29 yard catch-and-run on the Cougars' final drive of the night...at TCU...Fine effort against an explosive group of receivers...provided tight coverage throughout the night and had a tremendous hit across the middle on Frog star WR Cory Rodgers, who finished with just 46 yards on 3 catches...at UTEP...Strong performance against the high-powered UTEP passing attack...broke up a pass that he nearly intercepted and did not allow any long passes...also had 3 solo tackles, including a nice hit at the line of scrimmage to stop a running play for no gain...returned 3 punts for 23 yards, including a long of 15...had a 20-yard return negated by a penalty late in the 4th quarter...vs. New Mexico State...Added two more interceptions, returning them for a career-high 56 yards in another stellar performance...yardage on the night was 4 more than he had gained on his previous 12 career INTs...returned the first pick a career-long 38 yards to set-up a UNM field goal to close the first half...INT came as the Aggies were driving to potentially cut the Lobos' lead to 21-14...stepped in front of an NMSU pass on the 2nd play of the 2nd half and returned it 18 yards to set-up another Lobo TD...also had a pair of tackles...at Missouri...Notched the third multiple INT game of his career with 2 against QB Brad Smith and the high-octane Tigers...returned his second INT 16 yards on a 3rd-and-3 play to set up the Lobos' game-clinching TD with 4 minutes left in the game...vs. UNLV...Came up big when the Lobo defense needed him most, making a diving interception at the UNM 35 as UNLV drove for a potential game-winning field goal with a minute left in the game...pick was his third in the past two years against the Rebels...also had 2 tackles and returned 3 punts for 28 yards.2004 (JUNIOR):Was a quiet force in the secondary early in the season as opponents tended to stay away from his side of the field, but elevated his level of play against conference foes en route to earning second team all-MWC honors for the second straight year...he and teammate Brandon Payne were the MWC's premier cornerback tandem, helping to lead the league's No. 1 defense and second ranked pass efficiency defense...career-high 5 interceptions were third in the league and 16th in the country, one behind Payne and Utah's Morgan Scalley...4 picks and 6 passes broken up in conference games...notched an INT in 3 of the last 5 regular season games...37 tackles (25 solo) and 7 passes broken up in 12 games on the year...also had a forced fumble and a 68-yard fumble return for a TD...started 11 games, including 2 as a nickel back lined up on a slot receiver in the Lobos' 3-3-5 package...would slide inside over the slot when opponents used 3 WR formations...vs. Wyoming...Excellent performance against a dangerous Cowboy passing attack...broke up a career-best 3 passes, the first coming in the end zone and the other two on consecutive 3rd quarter plays in Lobo territory, forcing a UW punt...at BYU...Fine performance against a high-octane passing attack, helping limit BYU leading WR Todd Watkins to just 1 catch for 6 yards...was in perfect position to knock away a deep sideline pass when the Cougars tested him on the first play of the game...it was the only time they attempted a deep throw against him...great reaction to a pass off the hands of a WR resulted in a 2nd quarter INT...later made one of the plays of the game, popping the ball loose from the BYU WR on a screen pass as the Cougars were driving for a potential game-tying TD in the final minute of the 4th quarter...also had 3 solo tackles, including a few big hits in the flats...vs. San Diego State...Came up with some big plays when his team needed him...knocked away the Aztecs' 4th down pass to the end zone in one-on-one coverage to preserve the UNM victory late in the fourth quarter...had an INT early in the game, the fourth of his career against SDSU, and made 4 tackles (3 solo)...was lined up on the Aztecs' slot receivers much of the night...at UNLV...Turned in his best game of the year to spark the Lobos to a much-needed victory...engaged in a compelling battle with UNLV WR Earvin Johnson throughout much of the day...let Johnson get behind him for a 19-yard TD late in the 1st quarter, but picked off two passes intended for the Rebel star and had what would have been his third INT bounce off his chest...first pick set up the Lobos' opening TD...later made an opportunistic grab in the end zone with UNLV threatening to take a back-breaking 24-10 lead before halftime...was also a missile, flying up the field in run-support...tallied 4 solo tackles, including several big stops to blow up screen plays...vs. Utah...Season-high 5 tackles in all 82 snaps...scored his first career TD when he scooped up Alex Smith's fumble and dashed 68 yards down the sideline into the end zone...score tied the game at 7 late in the 1st quarter...also had a QB hurry...at New Mexico State...Pair of stops in 39 snaps and helped the UNM secondary limit NMSU to a mere 60 yards passing, its best performance in 2 years...at Oregon State...Teamed with fellow corner Brandon Payne to eliminate the Beavers' deep sideline passing and helped hold the nation's leading receiver, Mike Hass, to a relatively low 60-yard day...moved inside to help cover the speedy OSU slot receivers in the 2nd half which helped limit OSU QB Derek Anderson to 7-20 (35%) passing for 77 yards over the final 2 quarters...finished with 1 tackle and a pass break-up...vs. Texas Tech...Finished with a pair of tackles, a QB hurry and a big interception deep in UNM territory.2003 (SOPHOMORE):Enjoyed a career year, earning 2nd team all-MWC honors...tied for 3rd in the MWC with 4 INTs (27 yards)...also 43 tackles (31 solo) and 6 passes broken up in 13 games (11 starts) at left corner...MWC Defensive Player of the Week for his effort at San Diego State...Las Vegas Bowl (vs. Oregon State)...Tied his career-high with 6 tackles (4 solo) on the night...nearly had an interception return for a TD late in the first quarter, but couldn't hold on to Derek Anderson's pass in the flat...Wyoming...Did a tremendous job in deep and flat coverage, helping the Lobos limit a prolific Cowboy passing attack to just 99 yards in blizzard-like condiditons...2 tackles and a pass break up...Colorado State...Matched his career-high for the second straight week with 6 tackles (4 solo), including several fine open field stops...also knocked the ball away from CSU WR David Anderson on a third down endzone fade route, forcing the Rams to settle for a 2nd quarter FG...27 defensive snaps...UNLV...Solid game...matched a career-high with 6 tackles (5 solo) and also broke up a pass in the endzone...67 snaps...San Diego State...Breakout performance, recording a career-high 3 INTs and 6 tackles...all three of his picks (2 against O'Brien Candidate Adam Hall) came in the endzone...got a tremendous jump on a slant route as SDSU threatened to tie the game in the 1st quarter...stepped in front of Hall's post pass late in the 3rd quarter and out-jumped an Aztec WR to snare a fade pass in the 4th quarter...New Mexico State...Pair of tackles to go along with his first career interception and a nice deflection on a deep pass...did a nice job of keeping himselft in the game after giving up a long TD in the 2nd quarter...his 3rd quarter INT set up the Lobos' go-ahead FG...Washington State...Just one tackle, but did a solid job covering the talented Cougar receivers and was not thrown at often...BYU...Solid game with 4 solo tackles in 64 snaps...made the hustle play of the game when he ran down break-away runner Reynaldo Braithwaite, dragging him down at the UNM 2-yard line to prevent a 91-yard TD...Lobo defense then forced the Cougars to settle for a field goal 3 plays later...Texas Tech...Five tackles (4 solo), including 1 TFL...had his ups and downs vs. the Red Raider "Run n' Shoot" offense, but made a tremendous deflection to prevent a TD on a 2nd half streak route...Texas State...Pair of tackles in his first career start.2002 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN):Notched 16 tackles (11 solo) in 11 games coming off the bench...was suspended for three games (prior to the UNLV game) until he got his academics in order...returned to practice on Oct. 29, following the Utah game...also returned 4 kicks for 49 yards...Wyoming...was in on 3 tackles (2 solo) for the second straight game...Colorado State...saw his most extensive action in 2 months, following a rash of injuries to the Lobo safeties...finished with 3 tackles, the most since Sept. 27, in 10 defensive and 11 special teams plays...Texas Tech...season-high 5 tackles (4 solo) in 12 defensive plays...Baylor...3 tackles, including 1 for loss in 12 plays...N.C. State...2 tackles in 28 plays in his collegiate debut.HIGH SCHOOL:First team all-district cornerback as a junior and senior...had five interceptions and he returned four punts for scores as a senior...three interceptions for the Tigers his junior season...also saw time at receiver for coach Reginald Samples...finished second in the district 100 meters in 1999.PERSONAL:Born Dec. 15, 1982, in Dallas...age is 22...full name is Gabriel Paul Fulbright...son of Vernon and Gail...major is University Studies.CAREER HIGHS:Tackles: 7, vs. BYU (10/8/05).Interceptions: 3, at San Diego State (10/18/03). Passes Broken Up: 3, vs. Wyoming (11/20/04). |
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