Not too many people can say they have gained 50 pounds in the last year and admitted it's been a good thing.
The Green Bay Packers' Tony Moll can.
The Packers selected Moll with the 165th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Moll, from the University of Nevada, made the decision before his senior year to put on weight and switch from tight end to offensive lineman.
"It was definitely a need for the team and a gap that needed to be filled," Moll said. "My head coach came up to me and asked me if I wanted to make the change. It was an easy switch for me because we had a talented tight end core."
Moll said he hit the buffet and started eating like a lineman the night of his discussion with his coach. In January of 2005, Moll weighed 250 pounds. Now, Moll weighs in at around 308 pounds. Playing only one season as a lineman, Moll had no idea he would be able to get to the pro level.
"I felt like my best chance might be going as a free agent having only one year of experience at the position," Moll said. "I'm just really excited, and so it's pretty unbelievable right now."
Even with limited experience, the Packers were not the only team interested in his potential. He also had pre-draft workouts with Dallas, Indianapolis, San Diego and Atlanta.
"From a physical standpoint he fits our mold," offensive line coach Joe Philbin said. "He runs very well for a man of his size and has great experience for only playing one year at the position. He did not go to the Combine, but he visited us and we were very impressed with his character. He seems like he has embraced the position and will be a good fit here."
It would be fair to question how healthy it is to gain so much weight and maintain it, but Moll has began to get used to his new body.
"I could feel the weight on my joints at first," Moll said. "But my body has adjusted and I feel better than ever and stronger than ever."
