Niles Paul Catches A Pass, Into A Backflip

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While prospective NFL players have gathered in Indianapolis this past week to strut their stuff, NFL veterans have dispersed around the country to take their game to the next level.

Take grizzled, one-year veteran receiver Niles Paul, who showed his physical prowess with impressive special teams play and a pair of acrobatic catches in his rookie season.

Of course, those acrobatic catches pail in comparison to the fantastic athletic ability captured by one of his trainers last week at his offseason home in Nebraska.  This five-yard reception has serious style points (at the :45 mark):

Recognize the first receiver in this video?  That’s none other than former Redskins receiver Keith Eloi, a.k.a. “Youtube Sensation.”  Eloi never played a down in the NFL, but he’s still as spectacular as ever on film.

Clearly, Paul has been hard at work this offseason, working with EFP Fitness trainer Matt Richardson (the man who threw him the ball).  The two have a bond that ranges from the very good: “Pulled off the backflip catch! Definitely not my idea but just wanted to see if I could make the catch! S/o to my trainer @mattrichoma.”

And can occasionally become a little heated: “Thought about punching my trainer @mattrichoma mid workout. That’s how you know you getting a good workout in!”

If that’s a good workout, then I guess a bad workout is when you start to act on those impulses.  Good luck to Paul and his trainer, and here’s looking for a backflip into the end zone in 2012.