Bills Agree to Terms With FB Mike Viti

C Darwin

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Bills Agree to Terms With Undrafted FB Viti
http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=6045

With Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert re-introducing a true fullback to the offensive scheme, Buffalo had some additions to make to the roster. They already have Jonathan Evans who served on the practice squad last year, and they signed veteran free agent Darian Barnes. Earlier this week they also agreed to terms with undrafted Army fullback Mike Viti.

Provided he passes his physical later this week, Viti will officially sign with the club before rookie minicamp this weekend.

A fullback in every sense of the word, Viti was known for his body-jolting blocks at West Point. Blessed with a low center of gravity, Viti is a very effective lead blocker through the hole.

"He's a good blocker between the tackles," said Bills Coordinator of College Scouting Doug Majeski. "He's a classic isolation fullback that will go up there and hit somebody in line."

At his pro day Viti ran a 4.86 40-time and had a vertical leap of 31 inches. His most impressive number was the bench press where he put up 225 pounds 34 times. Only three fullbacks in the last nine years at the NFL combine have put up more reps than Viti.

"There is no place left for him to get any bigger," said Majeski of the muscle-bound Viti. "It's funny because you can see even in pads that his legs have muscles, his torso has muscles. Everything is muscle on him. Sometimes you scout a kid and write that he could be a little bigger up top, but he can't get any bigger."

Though he has a history of knee problems, which included a surgery after his sophomore season, Viti never missed a game in his college career.

What's most impressive about Viti is his lofty status at West Point.

"He's the third-highest ranked cadet in the corps of cadets," said Majeski. "He's in charge of 1,000 cadets. He's a top flight leader that has a bright future in the military. He's very smart in school and football. A tremendous work ethic."

And that ranking earned him the complete respect of his teammates.

"Everyone on the team voted for him as captain and they have the biggest roster in college football," said Majeski. "He had every vote."

Now Viti will see if he can win over Dick Jauron and the Bills offensive staff this spring.
 

C Darwin

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FB VITI RELEASED: West Point just got one of their best cadets back. Undrafted rookie free agent fullback Mike Viti was released by the Bills this afternoon.

According to Bills scouts Viti was the classic isolation blocker that could hit somebody in the hole. But I believe there was some concern that he might not have the lateral agility to match up with blitzing linebackers out on the edges in pass protection. Add in the fact that the Bills have a veteran in Darian Barnes on the roster as well as Jonathan Evans who served a season on the team's practice squad last season and the deck was somewhat stacked against him.

Viti was an accomplished cadet at West Point. He was the third-highest ranking cadet in the whole corps and was in charge of 1,000 of his fellow cadets. He was very well respected by his peers as evidenced by the fact that he was voted team captain last season... unanimously. He got every vote.

I know there was a grassroots level of support for Viti amongst Bills fans, and there's no denying Viti's work ethic, but as Bills Coordinator of College Scouting Doug Majeski told me...

"He's a top flight leader and if he doesn't make it in football he has a bright future in the military."

In all likelihood he will go a lot further in the military than he ever would have in football. And there's nothing wrong with that at all as I see it.Edited by: C Darwin
 
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