Fullback

[Grouse89]

I can understand the concern about the fact that he was a UDFA. However, there are a lot of factors that contribute to that fact. First, the FB position in football is one that the majority of teams aren't utilizing much any more. Most teams are using the HB or are going to a two-back system. Thus, the need for a primarily blocking FB who can knock people off the ball is shrinking. In the early 90s when the FB was a huge part of most teams' offensive sets, a guy like Schmitt would have been gone in the third round, and Hillis is likely gone early fourth. Viti likely would also have been drafted in the sixth. However, that isn' t the case anymore.

 

Viti is a very strong lead blocker. Many draftniks rated him as a better lead blocker than Schmitt. He's also stronger and is a bit more compact in terms of size, which gives him excellent leverage against bigger linemen and linebackers. Exactly what you are looking for in a true FB. Also, while he isn't going to rocket down the field after the catch, he does have decent hands and is a good option for the third and one scenarios and on the goaline where a guy who can get low and run with power is a must. I'm not saying he is going to be the best fullback ever. I hope that's not how it came across. I do, however, think he will be the starter this year for the Bills. There have been a lot of great FBs who have come in as UDFAs. There have been a lot of great players at other positions that have been UDFAs. We already have another one on the team now in Jason Peters. Maybe I'm wrong, but I hope Viti is as good as his tangibles suggest he could be.

well said

[ndirish1978]

WTF is OBD doing with our Left Tackle position! I mean they are playing a Tight End UDFA! There is no way this guy plays well. We're DOOOOOOMED!!

[ans4e64]

I can understand the concern about the fact that he was a UDFA. However, there are a lot of factors that contribute to that fact. First, the FB position in football is one that the majority of teams aren't utilizing much any more. Most teams are using the HB or are going to a two-back system. Thus, the need for a primarily blocking FB who can knock people off the ball is shrinking. In the early 90s when the FB was a huge part of most teams' offensive sets, a guy like Schmitt would have been gone in the third round, and Hillis is likely gone early fourth. Viti likely would also have been drafted in the sixth. However, that isn' t the case anymore.

 

Viti is a very strong lead blocker. Many draftniks rated him as a better lead blocker than Schmitt. He's also stronger and is a bit more compact in terms of size, which gives him excellent leverage against bigger linemen and linebackers. Exactly what you are looking for in a true FB. Also, while he isn't going to rocket down the field after the catch, he does have decent hands and is a good option for the third and one scenarios and on the goaline where a guy who can get low and run with power is a must. I'm not saying he is going to be the best fullback ever. I hope that's not how it came across. I do, however, think he will be the starter this year for the Bills. There have been a lot of great FBs who have come in as UDFAs. There have been a lot of great players at other positions that have been UDFAs. We already have another one on the team now in Jason Peters. Maybe I'm wrong, but I hope Viti is as good as his tangibles suggest he could be.

 

I wouldn't be shocked if he made the team, or possibly even started, judging by the lack of competition we have at that position as well as special teamers we lost. I just think everyone is getting a little crazy and overboard with Viti, thats all.

 

Lets hope he IS the next generation.

[Buffaloed in Pa]

Viti is a beast. The guy benched an Army school record 470 lbs at his workout. The guy is as good, if not better, at lead blocking as Owen Schmitt. Viti is going to make the team, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was the starter. He is the next generation of Sam Gash and Lorenzo Neal.

I would guess that Viti is muscle bound. What happens is that you lose speed and are really stiff. His change of direction and pass catching skills are probably lacking. He already has short arms and with being musclebound they become even shorter. I myself would like to see a Tom Rathmen type fullback,great hands and a punishing blocker.

[/dev/null]

Phase 1: H-Back

Phase 2:

Phase 3: Profit

[justnzane]

Phase 1: H-Back

Phase 2:

Phase 3: Profit

Hail

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

I would guess that Viti is muscle bound. What happens is that you lose speed and are really stiff. His change of direction and pass catching skills are probably lacking. He already has short arms and with being musclebound they become even shorter. I myself would like to see a Tom Rathmen type fullback,great hands and a punishing blocker.

Honestly, I don't want to throw to a FB ever, not even once. Use him for what he's for...annihilating LBs and pass protection.

 

Lorenzo Neal is probably the prototypical blocking FB of this generation. He's had 192 catches over a 15 year period for a whopping 5.5 average and 12 total TDs, never more than 2 in any given year.

 

I'd rather have a Neal than Larry Centers right now. Lorenzo Neal is probably the antithesis of fast and or shifty but it doesn't matter. His job is to clear a hole and he gets that done really well. Neal is 5'11" 255lbs. Viti is 5'9" 245lbs. They are both rolling balls of thorns coming through the hole and both outweigh a good number of modern LBs and have lower centers of gravity which develop tremendous leverage

 

For comparison, the last FB we did draft highly was Carwell Gardner (round 2, 1990). he was 6'2" 240lbs and I don't think anyone woudl ever refer to him as a punishing blocker and part of the reason is pad level.

 

FWIW, Sam Gash was 6'0" 242lbs. Viti at 5'9" 245 is more compact than Gash or Neal. He who gets low wins. Gash was drafted it was in round 8. Today he would have been a UDFA

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

I would guess that Viti is muscle bound. What happens is that you lose speed and are really stiff. His change of direction and pass catching skills are probably lacking. He already has short arms and with being musclebound they become even shorter. I myself would like to see a Tom Rathmen type fullback,great hands and a punishing blocker.

 

Entry Word: supposition

Function: noun

 

something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning (see assumption, conjecture, and theory)

 

have you seen him play or even watched highlight reels? at least make it appear as if you have some facts on your side

[/dev/null]

Entry Word: supposition

Function: noun

 

Internet message boards are a repository of suppositions, ergo suppositories

[Wagon Circler]

Viti may turn out to be great. But is starting camp hoping an UDFA is the man really the way to go?

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

Viti may turn out to be great. But is starting camp hoping an UDFA is the man really the way to go?

We don't exactly have a stable of HoF fullbacks on the roster so it's either pulling for the kid or the journeyman "veteran" who is working for his 6th NFL team since 2002 and who was also started off as a UDFA.

 

So I'd rather see the UDFA with the good story make the team over the UDFA who wasn't good enough for the Giants, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Dolphins or Jets. Sue me.

[Zulu Cthulhu]

Just a few thoughts on this FB issue:

1. I don't know why some are still clinging to this H-back theory when Turk and Jauron have been explicit in saying they are returning to the "pure" FB formations. Our quantity of throw away tight ends are special teamers, nothing else. There's no Chris Cooley in that sorry bunch.

2. Just for reference, my top three FB's in recent memory and where they were selected:

a) L. Neal - 4th round

b) Mack Strong - UDFA (recently forced to retire due to neck injury, see how Alexander's production fell off once Mack was done?)

c) Sam Gash - 8th round, as already pointed out by Falstaff.