During his introductory press conference, the veteran fullback noted that as a reason he signed the one-year deal with the team and also something that fueled his excitement. This drill tests lateral quickness and explosion in short distances. His 38.5 vertical was the third-best mark out of all the running backs, and it's especially impressive with Vitale showing up at the combine at a chiseled 239 pounds. This now opens the door even wider for two other players currently on the New England Patriots roster. pic.twitter.com/ozKEaHGGX0, NFL Combine 2016: Northwestern's Dan Vitale's full results, Three things we learned about Mike Bajakian’s new offense. After his measurements in terms of height, weight and arm length were unspectacular, he crushed the athleticism drills, ranking him among the top fullback Combine performers since 1999, according to Mock Draftable. Here's how Vitale compared to other fullback prospects at the Combine: Again, this is a really strong mark for Vitale. That process got off to a great start this week at the NFL Combine. During his four years at Northwestern, superback Dan Vitale was a do-it-all player. Given his versatility, he will also be a nice fit at the fullback position in more of a hybrid role similar to what Danny Vitale would’ve brought to the team in 2020. With an ability to also catch the ball out of the backfield, Jakob Johnson now becomes even more valuable at the fullback position if the team becomes a more ground attack oriented offense with either Cam Newton or Jarrett Stidham under center.

Join the Chowder And Champions team! The three cone drill tests a player's ability to change directions. Vitale was signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on October 22, 2018. Vitale, who is transitioning to fullback, worked out with the running backs in Indianapolis and shined. Here's Vitale's second run, which was first timed at an unofficial 4.58: Also, here's how the Wheaton, Ill. native compared to the other fullbacks: If you haven't realized it yet, Dan Vitale absolutely destroyed the combine from an athleticism standpoint.

Clearly, this is one of Vitale's strengths as he led all running backs in this drill. “Seeing all the amazing things that James Develin did over the last couple years, that’s obviously enticing for a fullback.”. Only 13 players competed in this drill. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This is basically an extended version of the 20-yard shuttle, and Vitale came through again.

Twelve players participated in this test. [11], In the 2019 season, Vitale saw some increased usage in the receiving game with seven receptions for 97 yards. It's those many talents that he will try to showcase to NFL scouts in the lead up to April's NFL Draft. That one-year deal now tolled to the 2021 season due to the opt out. Wij willen hier een beschrijving geven, maar de site die u nu bekijkt staat dit niet toe. It doesn’t look like they’re better than last year. Three matchups to watch: Northwestern vs. Iowa. Everyone was in good spirits but acknowledged this week brings a different animal. [5] On September 10, 2016, he re-joined the Buccaneers as a member of their practice squad. Your privacy is safe with us. Vitale was selected by the Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 197th overall pick. He's a multi-dimensional prospect. When combined with the bench press, it shows teams that he is an explosive athlete in both the weight room and on the field.

Just 25 years old, Johnson is currently signed on an international player exemption which does not count against the Patriots’ 53-man roster, which pretty much secured a spot on the roster even before Danny Vitale’s decision to opt out. On September 1, 2018, Vitale suffered a calf injury and was placed on injured reserve. During his four years at Northwestern, superback Dan Vitale was a do-it-all player. While the opt out is certainly understandable, it leaves a void in the Patriots backfield at the fullback position. [6], Vitale was signed off the Buccaneers' practice squad by the Cleveland Browns on October 14, 2016.[7]. The record for reps by a running/fullback is 36, set by Wake Forest's Tommy Bohanon in 2013.

Dan Michael Vitale III (born October 26, 1993) is an American football fullback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). In starting 15 games in 2019 during his time with the Green Bay Packers, Danny Vitale was the type of versatile asset who seemed primed to be a valuable piece of the offense in 2020 not only because of his blocking ability, but also his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. The New England Patriots also have some salary cap space to sign a free agent to come in and fill the void also. The fullback-to-be ran a 4.61 in his first attempt. Powered by Minute Media © 2020 All Rights Reserved. [14], "NFL draft: Bucs take Northwestern fullback Dan Vitale", "Josh Keyes Promoted, Danny Vitale Returns", "Browns sign FB Dan Vitale; place OL Joel Bitonio on injured reserve", "Packers sign FB Vitale to practice squad", "Packers activate Jake Kumerow to 53-man roster", "Report: Patriots sign fullback Dan Vitale", "Patriots re-sign wide receiver Will Hastings", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Danny_Vitale&oldid=970170561, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 July 2020, at 17:44. That type of versatility made Vitale a perfect fit for a Patriots’ offense that utilizes the fullback position. Selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, the Virginia Tech product is expected to provide some offensive punch to the tight end position. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on All Boston Sports and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. For now, it looks like it is either Jacob Johnson or Dalton Keene’s job to lose. One of those players is Jakob Johnson, a bruising fullback who had a shot at filling the void left by the James Devlin injury in 2019 before suffering his own season-ending injury.

One of the underrated free agent signings for the New England Patriots was the addition of veteran fullback Danny Vitale given the early retirement of James Develin.

NU’s offense looks to continue its success in Iowa City. Nebraska's Andy Janovich matched Vitale's mark. Dan Vitale profile page, biographical information, injury history and news He started in four of the 15 games he appeared in. Another player expected to fill in at the fullback position is tight end Dalton Keene. According to his agent, the fifth-year veteran has decided to opt out of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic due to Vitale and his wife being the proud parents to a newborn. [8] He was released on October 12, 2018. He has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. It relies less on straight speed and more on quick, rapid movements. We'll never pass along your email address to spammers, scammers, or the like. Here are his results and those of the other fullbacks in this year's draft class: This is an absurd number for a fullback and was tied for the best mark set by anyone in the running back position group this year. He had a very good NFL combine. Shocker. [9] He was promoted to the active roster on December 1, 2018. Vitale was selected by the Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 197th overall pick. Austin Ekeler’s absence continues to provide a spotlight for NU’s all-time leading rusher. [13] On July 28, 2020, Vitale announced he was opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Both players competed in every drill. To put Vitale's performance in perspective, let's compare his combine numbers to that of Alabama star Derrick Henry, regarded as one of the top-two running back prospects in this draft. [10] He appeared in five games in the 2018 season. “There’s only a handful of teams that use fullbacks now these days,” Vitale said, via Patriots.com. Northwestern Wildcats Basketball Recruiting, Northwestern Wildcats Football Recruiting, Northwestern Basketball Season Preview 2015-16, tied for the best mark set by anyone in the running back position group this year, NFL Combine 2016: Coverage of Northwestern's Dan Vitale and Dean Lowry, Northwestern's Dan Vitale, Dean Lowry named top two players at NFL Combine, Dan Vitale's full Combine results were amazing, VIDEO: Northwestern's Dan Vitale runs 40-yard dash, Balance proved key to Northwestern’s offensive outburst. Want your voice heard? New England Patriots Danny Vitale (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images). Northwestern in the NFL, Week Seven: Justin Jackson and Dean Lowry lead the way in quiet day. Here's video of Vitale in one of the position-specific running back drills: Dan Vitale impressed me with his movement skills today. All Boston Sports news from FanSided Daily, Boston Celtics: 3 observations from Sunday scrimmage, New England Patriots rumors: Team still isn’t tanking for Trevor Lawrence, All-Time Greatest Patriots Defensive Players, New England Patriots: 3 players who desperately need to be traded, New England Patriots: Lack of fans could be hurting team, New England Patriots: Clobbering by 49ers a sign of things to come, Boston Red Sox: Alex Verdugo proves value in 2020, New England Patriots: 5 game changers vs San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots rumors: Team needs to get Jadeveon Clowney, Caesars Oddsmaker: Patriots Have One Of The Worst Rosters In NFL, New England Patriots rumors: Team still isn't tanking for Trevor Lawrence, New England Patriots: How Cam Newton will lead to Tom Brady amnesia, New England Patriots: Cam Newton brings confidence to team, Top 25 Super Bowl Performances of All Time, Each NHL Team's Most Likely Future Hall of Famer, 30 Greatest Teams in Premier League History, 28 most memorable buzzer beaters in March Madness history. [2] He was released by the Buccaneers as part of final roster cuts on September 3, 2016,[3] and was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills the next day,[4] but failed his physical examination, voiding the contract. [12], On March 21, 2020, Vitale signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. Due to his decision to opt out of the 2020 season as confirmed by USA TODAY Sports Monday, fans will have to wait till 2021 to see Vitale in a Patriots’ uniform.

Only 13 players competed in this drill. He played college football at Northwestern and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Former Northwestern superback Dan Vitale clocked an impressive 4.6 official 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine on Friday. It's those many talents that he will try to showcase to NFL scouts in the lead up to April's NFL Draft. Vitale outclasses the rest of the fullbacks again.