Rookie Impressions

I had a chance to watch the Bills rookies work out this morning, in the first session of the weekend minicamp. It's tough to draw any conclusions from one practice, but this much is certain--these young players will benefit from the kind of intensive coaching they're getting this weekend. With only 28-players at practice, the Bills coaches have a chance to break down each player fundamentally, and work with them on a one-on-one basis. It's the kind of attention many rookies do not get once the team heads to training camp with the season weeks away. The Bills two top draft picks, Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy, look like standouts so far. I was intrigued by 3rd round draft pick Chris Ellis, the defensive end from Virginia Tech. He's definitely quick, but he looks seriously undersized. As Dick Jauron pointed out, however, he's tall enough to add plenty of weight to that frame. In the meantime, look for him to be a situational pass rusher for the Bills in his first season. He'll probably get plenty of snaps, but it seems like it might be tough to see him taking on big 315lb guards and tackles in the run game. Free agent rookie fullback Mike Viti (above) also makes a strong first impression. He's listed as 5-10, but I doubt he's even that tall. He's got a fireplug build, and looks like he's ready for contact at any moment. I can't wait to see him firing out of the backfield drilling linebackers in preseason games, or running downfield to cover kicks. Watch for more rookie minicamp coverage from Paul Peck on News 4 this weekend.