He is Very Similar to Chris Cooley

In the NFL today it's all about match ups and finding the mismatches for the offense to take advantage of. The Buccaneers think they have added a mismatch player in Dan Vitale who is a hybrid type and can play all over the field. Bucs Gm Jason Licht is very high on him and thinks he can create mismatches and become a reliable target for Jameis Winston per pewterreport.com.

“I do like him,” Licht said. “He has great hands. He’s super smart. He’s very tough. He’s a great athlete. He’s not a typical fullback athlete. A guy like that can be your quarterback’s best friend. He has a real knack for running routes and getting open and making big plays.”

Vitale can play fullback, tight end, or h-back and is seen as a flex option which should make the offense difficult to defend. Vitale is pretty much a receiver with a full back body at 6'1 239lbs and with 4.60 speed he is fast enough to create separation allowing him to make big plays down field. Vitale had 135 receptions and 11 tds in his college career so it is safe to say he is dangerous when used correctly.

Vitale compares himself to former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley who was used as a h-back and was quite successful. Bucs Gm Jason Licht agrees with that comparison and thinks he could have the same impact for the team.

“Vitale is an added weapon,” Licht said. “He’s not a long player that is going to survive for a ton of plays on the line of scrimmage. He’s going to be more of an H for us. Chris Cooley is a perfect example. I love his versatility. The other unique thing about him is that he’s a four-phase special teams guy. When is the last fullback you’ve seen that could play on special teams?”

If Vitale can be that reliable target like Chris Cooley was and more importantly like Nick O'leary was for Jameis at FSU, then the Bucs have found a gem in the 6th round.