Ovie Mughelli visiting the Rams tomorrow

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Ovie Mughelli @oviemughelli34
For those of of you who didn't see @JasonLaCanfora's tweet. I got a visit w the rams tom[morrow]. Steven jackson and I would be a killer combo

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roqAMm1hELo[/youtube]

[textarea]Falcons cut fullback Ovie Mughelli
by Aaron Wilson of Scout.com, May 8, 2012 at 10:32 am ET
http://profootball.scout.com/a.z?s=127& ... 0140&fhn=1

Ovie Mughelli Profile

The Atlanta Falcons released released former Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli today, the team announced.

Mughelli signed a six-year, $18 million contract with the Falcons in 2007 that included a $5 million signing bonus.

He started 38 games for Atlanta in five seasons.

Last year, he was limited to seven games, four catches and two touchdowns.

Mughelli injured his right knee during a collision with safety Louis Delmas during a win over the Detroit Lions and was placed on injured reserve.

The Falcons drafted Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing as Mughelli's replacement in the fifth round.

Ewing is highly regarded as an all-around fullback.[/textarea]
And finally, his ability as a writer.

How to Dominate in the Fullback Position

ByOvie Mughelli
(Contributor) on November 29, 2010

falconsovie.announced_original_crop_650x440.jpg


From the Pee Wee level to the NFL, very few players think of playing the fullback position. As a fullback, yes, you're in the backfield, but you're not the feature running back. You're not an offensive lineman, but you spend a lot of time blocking.

There is little glitz and glamour involved with the position, and you're usually clearing the way for the backs who find themselves featured on the weekend's highlight reels.

This is a role that you will find little told about in the history books. However, without question, a team with a great fullback will be in the best position for a successful offense.

I wasn't always a fullback. In middle and high school I was a tailback, but when I got to Wake Forest University, there were already several in place. My coaches placed me in the fullback position and I quickly earned the starting role.

I watched and studied the great fullbacks who perfected the game. Fullbacks like Lorenzo Neal, Mack Strong, Moose Johnston—I remember sitting in my college dorm and analyzing everything these guys did, the stance and the angle of their body and how they made contact, just so I could get an edge.

My father would tell me to always find someone who is at the top of their field and pay attention to everything they do. Even today I closely watch the best fullbacks in the league.

I pick their brain after games; I go shake their hands, ask them what they ate, where they train, what their routine is and figure out what extra magic they bring to the game that I can create in myself.

During the offseason when I speak at schools, I often get asked how to become a great fullback. The answer is to improve every day in the physical aspect, the mental component and perfecting your technique.

To be physical you must of course hit the weight room; you must push your body to the limits to be the best at upper and lower strength, speed and agility. Unfortunately, most fullbacks spend too much time on pure strength and not enough on their speed and agility.

Spending all day on squats and bench press is great, but if you can’t aim all that power at a moving target it’s worthless. When you play fullback your body is like a guided missile where sometimes you have to speed up, slow down, avoid your offensive lineman, use your shoulder to chip a defensive end; all while on the way to connecting with your target and blowing up a safety.

Improving your technique is also crucial. People who don’t really know about the position, simplify it with two big guys backing up five yards each and then running full speed into each other, and the stronger guy wins.

What people don’t know is that a smaller fullback can overpower a bigger linebacker or defensive end if he has better technique. As a fullback you have to get hands inside your defenders, get off on the snap of the ball, have vision to see the best path to your target, know whether to use your shoulders or hands to best execute a block and most importantly, use the correct angle and degree of leverage to block through a defender and not to him.

A fullback has to master the mental aspect. The ironic part is that improving your mental game truly allows you to be physical at the position. As a fullback matures, he realizes how important it is to study the playbook and watch film.

When the play starts, and you get a mix of a deja-vu moment and a Matrix action-scene where everything slows down, you know that you’re prepared. Knowing what your opponent will do before he does it allows you to take away any hesitation, which can be the difference between making and missing a block.

A fullback must have a gladiator mindset. An imposter of this position will flinch or close their eyes with fear. A true fullback loves the battle; the bone-crunching noise each time you make that collision. We have a little crazy in us (on the field) to play with reckless abandonment.

Is the fullback position diminishing? There was talk about that a few years back, but successful coaches and teammates appreciate what great fullbacks bring to the field.

Playing the position in the NFL for eight years, I respect the brotherhood that we fullbacks have. I take a look at the other top FBs in the NFL, and though we are competing, we have a great bond and respect for one another. We work hard without the accolades and always put the team before ourselves.

When in Baltimore, Todd Heap tried a couple plays as a fullback and once said to me, “Man, I appreciate what you do, because I can’t imagine going through collisions every single game.” This statement is a testament that every player can’t do what fullbacks do. We will only grow in our roles on the field and will continue to raise the bar for the future generations of this position.

So to all the fullbacks at every level, represent our position proud and play hard.

Ovie Mughelli is a fullback for the Atlanta Falcons.
 

RamFan503

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Well written. Hope it translates to the field. Sure would like to see us have another hole opening FB.
 

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RamFan503 said:
Well written. Hope it translates to the field. Sure would like to see us have another hole opening FB.
Getting kinda crowded back there. I think we're up to three. Four if you count Guidugli.
 

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X said:
RamFan503 said:
Well written. Hope it translates to the field. Sure would like to see us have another hole opening FB.
Getting kinda crowded back there. I think we're up to three. Four if you count Guidugli.

I suppose that's what happens when you allow teams to carry 4,000 players coming into camp. I have to say though that given the choice between a dumb ass that has a slight edge over the smart guy in talent, I'll take the smart guy 7 days and twice on Sundays.
 

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I have a feeling if the Rams sign Mughelli, he would be the starter. He may be better than what is already on the roster.
 

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Ramhusker said:
I have a feeling if the Rams sign Mughelli, he would be the starter. He may be better than what is already on the roster.
If nothing else, it's certainly a commitment to get the running game going. Jackson must be licking his chops right now. Fullbacks AND backup fullbacks?

aww-yeah-on-a-t-rex_c_264205.jpg
 

libertadrocks

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Ramhusker said:
I have a feeling if the Rams sign Mughelli, he would be the starter. He may be better than what is already on the roster.

He is definitely better than whats already on the roster. That's no slight to Miller either, Ovie is just a damn good FB IMO.

However, i will say, I think the way our FO has addressed the FB position, especially if we were to sign Ovie, doesnt bode well for Miller's future with the Rams.
 

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libertadrocks said:
Ramhusker said:
I have a feeling if the Rams sign Mughelli, he would be the starter. He may be better than what is already on the roster.

He is definitely better than whats already on the roster. That's no slight to Miller either, Ovie is just a damn good FB IMO.

However, i will say, I think the way our FO has addressed the FB position, especially if we were to sign Ovie, doesnt bode well for Miller's future with the Rams.
Don't sleep on Chubby D, man. Don't ... you ... sleep.
 

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I'd be alright with this, sign him.. perhaps he starts this season. But most of all he'll be able to pass his knowledge down to Brit Miller who I think has the ability to become a pretty damn nice Fullback in the future.
 

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ottoman89 said:
I'd be alright with this, sign him.. perhaps he starts this season. But most of all he'll be able to pass his knowledge down to Brit Miller who I think has the ability to become a pretty damn nice Fullback in the future.
Yeah, I'll bet he starts too. Did you get a chance to check out the new UDFA FB they picked up? Todd Anderson? Dude can bench a Prius.
 

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If the Rams sign him, Miller is gone. I can't imagine them keeping 2 fullbacks on the roster.
 

ottoman89

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X said:
ottoman89 said:
I'd be alright with this, sign him.. perhaps he starts this season. But most of all he'll be able to pass his knowledge down to Brit Miller who I think has the ability to become a pretty damn nice Fullback in the future.
Yeah, I'll bet he starts too. Did you get a chance to check out the new UDFA FB they picked up? Todd Anderson? Dude can bench a Prius.
I have not! I'll have to check him out when I get home from work. I never used to get too excited about Fullbacks. But the recent splurge in finding a boss for FB is intriguing to me!
 

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ottoman89 said:
X said:
ottoman89 said:
I'd be alright with this, sign him.. perhaps he starts this season. But most of all he'll be able to pass his knowledge down to Brit Miller who I think has the ability to become a pretty damn nice Fullback in the future.
Yeah, I'll bet he starts too. Did you get a chance to check out the new UDFA FB they picked up? Todd Anderson? Dude can bench a Prius.
I have not! I'll have to check him out when I get home from work. I never used to get too excited about Fullbacks. But the recent splurge in finding a boss for FB is intriguing to me!
Here's a post on him from a little while back. Like. A. Boss.

315lbs 18 times.
Freaking kidding me? :shock:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1O5XMmFG6o[/youtube]

Name: Todd Anderson
College: Michigan State
Height: 6-2
Weight: 267
Position: FB
Pos2: LB
Class/Draft Year: Sr/2012
40 Time: 5.10
40 Low: 4.94
40 High: 5.18

03/17/12 - Todd Anderson is a beast in the gym at Michigan State. Anderson, the team's fullback last season as a senior and a former defensive end, cranked out 35 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press at MSU's pro day Wednesday -- easily the best of all the players on display for NFL coaches and scouts. Anderson was looking for more -- defensive tackle Jerel Worthy had the second-highest total at 28 -- but was not too disappointed with his display of brute strength. "I've done up to 45 by myself, but I'll take 35," Anderson said afterward. "I think I could have gotten a few more. I've been on top of the board (at MSU) for a while." At 6-foot-1 and 267 pounds, Anderson is a battering ram. He has decent speed (about 4.9-5.0 for the 40), with a vertical leap of 29 inches. But he just loves to lift weights. "That's my thing -- I live in the weight room," he said. He said a couple of NFL teams Wednesday showed interest in him. "I spoke to the Rams and Falcons," Anderson said. "Fullbacks are a dying breed in college, but luckily there are still some in the NFL. It's a waiting game now to see if I get drafted."

12/03/11 - SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: That's three straight impressive rushing performances and counting for the Spartans, and four straight games with 31 points or more. QB Kirk Cousins is on fire, his receivers are playing well, the line is playing much better than it did earlier in the season and this offense looks ready for Wisconsin. PLAYERS TO WATCH: FB Todd Anderson - The senior has been a big part of MSU's emerging rushing attack and will take aim at Wisconsin LB Chris Borland.
 

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RamFan503 said:
X said:
RamFan503 said:
Well written. Hope it translates to the field. Sure would like to see us have another hole opening FB.
Getting kinda crowded back there. I think we're up to three. Four if you count Guidugli.

I suppose that's what happens when you allow teams to carry 4,000 players coming into camp. I have to say though that given the choice between a dumb ass that has a slight edge over the smart guy in talent, I'll take the smart guy 7 days and twice on Sundays.

I forgot about that. So there really is no gaurentee that Mughelli (if he signs), Haggan, Laws, Richardson, Dunbar make the team.

More competition is a good thing. But everyone knows that.