Walking next to Buffalo Gap full back David Mullins is a lot like walking next to a gentle giant.
BUFFALO GAP — Walking next to Buffalo Gap fullback David Mullins is a lot like walking next to a gentle giant.
At 6 feet, 220 pounds, he’s not your typical high school fullback.
When meeting him, the expectation is to meet someone fast and a little intimidating.
Instead, he comes off as a goofball who just loves the game and the guys he plays with.
And the notion that backs are typically closer to the ground with immense control over their center of gravity and have a 4-second 40-yard dash is one that Mullins doesn’t even come close to ascribing to.
His center of gravity is just as good as the next guy’s, but it’s his size that gives him more of an advantage than the average back.
His height lets him see over the line and downfield, and his size lets him play aggressive when punching through an opposing team’s line. He may not be the fastest guy on the field, but he’s got the strength to get into the end zone on a third-and-1 situation.
If we were talking NFL — which has stated the perfect back would be at least 5 feet 10, 215 to 225 pounds and has more power than speed — Mullins would be an ideal fullback for any number of teams.
But we’re talking high school, and it’s those same attributes that have made him such a threat to opposing teams’ defenses.
In the Bison’s game against Stuarts Draft last Friday, he picked up all three of the team’s touchdowns, with each run into the end zone longer than the last. And in the muddy, wet conditions that have been present for the last month, Mullins power has been critical on fourth down conversions for the team.
Even against a strong Riverheads team, Mullins couldn’t be contained — he managed two touchdowns against a team that’s still undefeated.
Aside from Mullins achievements on the field, this season has been one for him and the rest of the Bison to remember.
The team planned to go far, and fans knew it coming into the season, but with a 5-1 record at this point, the Bison have gotten to a point where they look like true contenders for a state title, something that wasn’t even imaginable three years ago.