Mike Viti

by kaisertown on Apr 28, 2008 9:52 PM EDT

The Bills may not have added a fullback during the draft, but they did add an interesting one on sunday evening.

I will give some of the highlights:

5'9 242 pounds with a 470 pound bench press.

He was one of 4 team captains. Considering the fact he went to West Point, that is VERY impressive.

He tore ligaments in his knee during his senior year of high school, but finished the season anyways. His injuries scared off recruiters. He went on to suffer several injuries at Army as well, but never missed a game.

"Plays with fiery emotion and is the team's hardest worker in the training room."

"Compares To: MIKE KARNEY-New Orleans...While West Virginia's Owen Schmitt is regarded as the draft's top fullback, Viti can rival the Mountaineer as the best blocker in this draft. Viti has brute strength that made one scout describe his physique as "having muscles coming out of his muscles."

I am definately excited the Bills signed Viti and I cannot wait until training camp to see how he looks. Considering his only competition at FB is Darian Barnes and Jonathon Evans, Viti has an outside shot to make the team. He has a good chance to wind up on the practice squad.

Do we know much else about any of the other players the Bills have signed so far?

This FanPost written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings.

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Hmmmm, Vini Vidi Viti

I like this kid more and more I hear about him.
I like anyone whose main attribute is their toughness followed up by their savagery when blocking.
All I want from my FB is a can-do attitude and a willingness to punish anyone who tries to stop him from getting Marshawn into the endzone.

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on Apr 28, 2008 10:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Pass catching

All he needs to do for Buffalo is block and catch maybe a swing pass out of the backfield about once per game. I’m glad the Bills got him and will be curious to see if he can beat out Barnes and Evans. If the Bills keep Omon there will be 4 RBs on the roster, leaving room for just 1 FB. I’m pulling for Viti, largely for sentimental military reasons.

by Ron From NM on Apr 28, 2008 10:13 PM EDT 0 recs

If Omon makes the team...

It’s a sure bet Wright gets cut. They can only afford to keep 3 RBs this year.

by krytime on Apr 29, 2008 1:29 AM EDT up 0 recs

FB/TE

Actually when putting together the roster-all NFL teams (those that have them anyway) consider blocking only FBs and TEs interchangably. If this guy, or Barnes make the team it will come at the expense of a TE-not a RB. In all cases when putting together the 53 man roster-all teams ask themselves, “Can he make the gameday 45 and how will he contribute?” For the last 10-12 guys-this obviously means special teams.

This guy, however, sounds really special—on and off the field. Can’t wait to get to Camp and see him.

Geronimo

by Geronimo on Apr 29, 2008 5:43 PM EDT up 0 recs

Do you agree they'll only keep 3 RBs?

I think it’d be too much of a luxury to keep four. If Wright makes the team, I can see Omon all over the practice squad. If Omon makes the team, again, I’d say Wright’s a goner.

by krytime on Apr 29, 2008 6:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

Don't know and agree

Well-I agree that if Omon makes the team, Wright’s chances just got a lot slimmer. However—if Wright plays well in camp, whether Omon makes the team or not is too early to tell. Depends on how he shows in Camp and the preseason games. Solely up to him.

Geronimo

by Geronimo on Apr 29, 2008 6:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

Is Wright available for the practice squad? I'm not sure, but I think he might be.

by krytime on Apr 29, 2008 6:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't know

but at the very least he would have to clear waivers

by kaisertown on Apr 29, 2008 6:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

... 470 pound bench press in a 5’9” dude? That’s ludicrous. I’m guessing he can lay the lumber, and he should be pretty excellent on special teams as well. I think this dude’s got a chance to make the final roster. (And yeah… I won’t ever be able to call him anything other than “dude”. Only dudes bench press 470. That’s like 3 of me.)

by Brian Galliford on Apr 29, 2008 7:37 AM EDT 0 recs

Yikes.

Here’s the Army profile of him:
That 470-lb bench press is an Army record. At the bottom of the page, it mentions that he bench-pressed 400 lbs at age 16.

Also, not only is he one of the four team captains, but he’s also the Third Regimental Commander of the cadets, which puts him in charge of 1,000 cadets at West Point (a quarter of the student body).

by Krenn on Apr 29, 2008 12:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

BEAST MODE

by Scotty P on Apr 29, 2008 9:00 AM EDT 0 recs

Hope he makes the team

So I can lay the lumber to people using him in Madden ‘09.

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on Apr 29, 2008 1:50 PM EDT 0 recs

What a perfect way to introduce Mayo to the NFL

Comparisons to Mike Karney and best blocking FB in the draft get me excited. It may be a coup signing. 2 year contract too.

GO BLUE!!!

by Kumario! on Apr 29, 2008 2:35 PM EDT 0 recs

Further information on Viti

Ran a quick google look up on this kid, and the more I read about him, the more I’m impressed by him. He seems like a 100% stand up guy who doesn’t make excuses and won’t except failure, perfect for our team of young guys to lean on.

Here is his Army Bio- http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=537432

Here is the write up on him being promoted to Third Regimental Commander within the US Corps of Cadets- http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=1149852

Nice article about him from the NY Post as well about his duties as captain and commander at West Point and running an 18 credit course load this year!- http://www.nypost.com/seven/09192007/sports/field_general.htm

I couldn’t find any real scouting profile on him, he was so under the radar for most scouts. All I got out of espn’s Scouts Inc. was a grade of 20, and most other places just list him. He did run a 4.86 40 time, and at 242 pounds at that. Kid will be a good one I think, and I hope he makes the team. I would buy this kids jersey.

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on Apr 29, 2008 4:18 PM EDT 0 recs

If Geronimo is Right

that keeping a FB will be at the expense of a TE, and I have no reason to doubt him, I have no problem with keeping Viti and showing Schouman the door. Viti just seems to bring a lot more to the table than Derek S. in terms of leadership, drive, and accountability. I see him as much more of a force on ST than DS could hope to be, and a better lead blocker for Lynch.
The recent additions of Johnson, Anderson, and Fine seems to make Schouman even more expendable.

by Blackthorn on Apr 29, 2008 6:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Slow down a little here..

Let’s not forget, Schoumann was/is pretty well thought of by OBD. And, he has the added benefit of being around the organization for a whole off season, a time where it’s typical that a player sees his most improvement between year one and two…

by krytime on Apr 29, 2008 7:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

But it’s also true, kry, that Schouman didn’t make the opening day roster last year – he was a practice squad guy brought up after the glut of injuries at tight end. That doesn’t bode well for him this year with Teyo Johnson, Courtney Anderson, and Derek Fine all on board…

by Brian Galliford on Apr 29, 2008 7:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Very true..

I’m not really “sticking up” for DS here, and I’m definitely not “rooting against” Viti (that would be un-American to say the least). I just think Schoumann might have a better chance than we think, just being in this system a year more than Teyo, Anderson and the rest.

On a side note – with Teyo Johnson never really having done anything, how is he so special that we all call him “Teyo.” Isn’t referring to guys by their first name only reserved for special talents? I’ll admit – I’m just as guilty as the rest!

by krytime on Apr 29, 2008 8:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

“Johnson” is so general. And Teyo might not make it through the end of the pre-season. Type “Teyo” while you can!

by Brian Galliford on Apr 29, 2008 8:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Again, very true!

by krytime on Apr 29, 2008 8:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

I agree with Brian yet again

Schouman is a very expendable 7th round pick. At 6’2 and 233 pounds, he isn’t a TE and he isn’t a FB (at least not a good enough FB to make the team). The Bills drafted him to be an H-Back, which is no longer a part of their offense.

I would have given Schouman a 1 – 2 % chance to make this team BEFORE the Bills drafted Fine and signed Viti. Now I would give him somewhere closer to a ZERO percent chance to make the 53 man roster out of camp. A team that uses the H-Back (most do now) will probably scoop him up for thier practice squad. If Schouman spent the offseason bulking up and learning how to be a lead blocker he could potentially outperform Jonathan Evans and wind up back on the practice squad as an emergency TE and FB.

by kaisertown on Apr 30, 2008 12:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

Time will tell...

Of course we have yet to see him play. The thought of somebody with his physique and strength as a wedge blocker on kick returns is somewhat entertaining however.

Geronimo

by Geronimo on Apr 29, 2008 7:33 PM EDT 0 recs