Rams take Madison Hedge**** (FB, North Carolina) in the 7th Round

[Nick]

Madison Hedge****

Class:Senior

Hometown:Wallburg, N.C.

High School:Ledford

Height / Weight:6-3 / 260

Position:Fullback

Birthdate:08/27/1981

Will return to fullback this fall after playing defensive end the last two seasons • Allows the Tar Heels the option of using a true fullback after operating primarily out of a two-tailback set in 2003 • Called the "best blocking back" in the ACC by The Sporting News • Played fullback as a freshman and sophomore • Earned "Super Ram" status in the weight room in each of the last two seasons • Holds UNC records in the bench press (435 lbs.) and power clean (385) by a fullback.

2003: Junior season
Played in all 12 games and started 11 at defensive end • Only game he did not start was the season opener against Florida State • Played more snaps than any other defensive lineman and more than any other defensive player other than senior safety Dexter Reid • Was fifth on the team with 55 tackles, including 40 primary stops and 15 assists, six tackles for losses of 13 yards, 1.5 sacks for six yards, two fumble recoveries, three quarterback hurries and one sack • Had at least three tackles in every game • Had seven tackles, including five solo stops, against Syracuse • Had a season-high nine tackles at Georgia Tech • Made seven stops, including two tackles for losses, in the season finale against Duke • Had two fumble recoveries against Florida State and forced a fumble at Clemson.

2002: Sophomore season
Played in all 12 games • Was the starting fullback in the first six games of the year, but moved to defensive end for the final six contests after injuries depleted the Carolina defensive line • Played both positions against Wake Forest • Had three rushes for 11 yards, caught two passes for 7 yards and made 21 total tackles (11 solo, 10 assists) • Had 2.5 tackles for loss • Had one carry for 11 yards against Georgia Tech • Made six tackles at Wake Forest, including four solo stops • Had four tackles vs. Maryland, including a tackle for loss • Posted three tackles against Florida State, including a 2-yard tackle for loss.

2001: Freshman season
Played in every game and started the final 10 regular-season games and the Peach Bowl at fullback • Played 455 snaps, including a season-high 51 snaps against East Carolina • Had one carry on the season, a 1-yard gain against the Pirates • Was involved in perhaps the most important play of the 41-9 win over FSU when he forced a fumble after the Seminoles had intercepted a pass on the second play of the third quarter • The fumble was recovered by UNC's Andre' Williams and Carolina scored five plays later to take the lead for good.

Ledford High School
Played fullback, tight end and linebacker for Coach Dick Cline at Thomasville's Ledford High • Rushed for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games as a senior • Played tight end and was team captain in the Shrine Bowl • In his career he rushed for 3,673 yards and 44 touchdowns • Super Prep All-America as a Jumbo Athlete, Honorable Mention All-America USA Today and Prep Star All-Region selection • Three-time all-county and all-conference selection (tight end as a sophomore and fullback as junior and senior) • Named county offensive player of the year in 1998 and 1999 • Played basketball and ran track • Competed in the 200 and 400 meters, hurdles and relays and shot put • Earned all-county and all-conference honors in the shot • Honor student.

Personal
Born Madison Smith Hedge**** on Aug. 27, 1981 in Winston-Salem, N.C. • Favorite athlete is Brad Hoover • Favorite NFL teams as a kid were the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders • Enjoys hunting and listening to country music • Favorite former UNC football players are Charlie Justice and Don McCauley • Best athletic moment was recovering a fumble against Texas • Is a self-described "farm boy" • Majoring in communications.

[general counsel]

Pretty hard to go through life Incognito with a name like hedge****!

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[psycho9985]

Sounds like a solid pick.Now lets see if he can make the Team,we need a good fullback to backup goodspeed.:ramlogo:

[ZigZagRam]

I don't know if I like this pick. He seems kind of ****y. Let's just help he's ****ed and ready to unload.

This draft was like **** work...I mean clock work.

[general counsel]

Welcome back, james the hammer hodgins. I loved the description of this guy as "basically an offensive lineman in the backfield" Perfect for short yardage leading The Big Boy through the hole.

general counsel

[talkstoangels61]

Sounds like a solid pick.Now lets see if he can make the Team,we need a good fullback to backup goodspeed.:ramlogo:

Goodspeed might be the backup here!........IMPO

[talkstoangels61]

I'm like mike on this pick!..........................................I'm a dancin' too!

[RealRam]

It'd be nice to a have a slighty larger arsenal at RBs; somewhat similar to some of Denver's programs of the past.

In any event, this FB sounds great!

[Nick]

Hedge**** relevant to Rams
4-25-05
By Jeff Carlton Staff Writer
News & Record

Madison Hedge**** was growing antsy as the final, "Mr. Irrelevant" pick of the NFL Draft and the specter of undrafted free agency closed in on him Sunday evening. He'd seen four fullbacks go in the draft, but no true, old-school lead-blocker fullbacks like him.

Then the St. Louis Rams called. Hedge****, a 6-foot-3, 266-pound bulldozer, found out his skills weren't irrelevant after all. The Rams grabbed him with the 251st pick in the draft, four spots ahead of the final selection of the final round.

"It's a dying breed," Hedge**** said, "but it's never going to be extinct."

Hedge****, who returned to fullback from defensive end before his senior year at North Carolina, is looking to become the second fullback from Ledford High playing in the NFL. Brad Hoover, another member of the dying breed, has had five fruitful seasons as a lead blocker and special-teams standout with the Carolina Panthers. Hoover was not drafted.

Hedge**** was one of three Tar Heels taken on the second day of the draft -- going after center Jason Brown and safety Gerald Sensabaugh -- and is the first UNC fullback to go in the draft since William Henderson in 1995.

Rams coach Mike Martz described Hedge**** as the "hammer" his team needs.

"You know how hard it is for us to find fullbacks that will lead in there," Martz said. "You could put them in front of the running back in isolation football, which is what we like to do."

Hedge**** isn't likely to supplant starter Joey Goodspeed at fullback right away. He'll likely make his strongest early impressions on special teams, as Hoover did with the Panthers. Martz said Sunday he could see Hedge**** playing at tight end, a position he played in the Shrine Bowl in January.

He'll report to the Rams' rookie minicamp later this week.

"I'll just have to see when I get there," Hedge**** said as his family's draft-day cookout winded down Sunday. "I do kind of have a chip on my shoulder being a seventh-round pick. But that's all right. I look at the fullbacks in front of me more than where I was picked."

Hedge****, who was raised on a farm, is a hard-nosed player who likes to get his uniform dirty. That won't happen in St. Louis, where the Rams play on fake grass inside a dome.

Not that he's complaining. He had no idea the Rams, who have another local product -- Gibsonville's Torry Holt -- starring at wide receiver, were even interested in him.

After playing on the defensive side for two seasons, Hedge**** rushed 30 times for 118 yards as a senior, with 69 yards coming in the Heels' 30-24 victory over N.C. State.

"They saw my passion," Hedge**** said of the Rams. "They started looking in to me and saw how I like to compete in games. That's my big thing about playing the game."

[ramstiles]

I don't think the rams carry a backup FB do they

[general counsel]

Technically, chris massey is the backup fullback. As a practical matter, massey is really the long snapper. Looking ahead a year, if incognito proves he can play and maintain stability off the field, given his skills as a long snapper, massey could be expendable and that would make the Hedgehog the backup fullback, although i strongly suspect he will have a chance to take over from Joey the G sooner rather than later.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[ramstiles]

Good point GC but would we carry 2 FB's this year when martz doesn't use them much

[general counsel]

i think that is why they are talking about hedgewitz as a tight end as well as a fullback. Also, remember that he is supposed to be a special teams player and that may make a difference.

general counsel

[gap]

It'd be nice to a have a slighty larger arsenal at RBs; somewhat similar to some of Denver's programs of the past.

In any event, this FB sounds great!

We would NEVER be able to get away with all the illegal blocking and leg whipping the the donkeys get away with.

The Dome's turf would have to be painted yellow so no one could see all the hankies the officials would be throwing if our OL played like they do in Denver.

gap :confused:

[KurtWarner2005MVP]

I like the looks of this guy. I think he'll be a good one.