I had a chat with Vernon Gholston

[ctpatsfan77]

Ghost should've been a 4-3 end...not 3-4 end or OLB.

Ghost =

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Or maybe the position change is more than you think. I had high hopes for Connor Barwin, but we didn't take him, and he played out of position in Houston and didn't exactly light it up. With the switch to the 3-4, perhaps he'll make a huge impact.

I'm hoping that Barwin ends up on the Vrabel plan: underutilized by his first team, then comes to NE and lets his inner Patriot shine.

That said, we know he can play TE like Vrabel did . . . but I wonder how GRONK would respond to that.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm fairly certain Gholston could be coached up and would succeed in the Steelers 3-4. He's about the same size as LaMarr Woodley from memory and I'm sure he could slim down to play like Timmons, Farrior or Harrison.

It can be done.

Being the same size is about 0.003% of the equation.
Gholston does not have physical limitations in playing either 34 OLB or 43 DE he just lacks the skills to do it well vs NFL competition. Can he develop better technique, improve the mental part of his game, his conditioning, attitude, drive, desire? Sure, but that just puts him in a large group of guys with the physical tools that just are not good NFL players.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Vern doesn't have an attitude problem per se. But he is not a football player by heart.

He didn't play football as a youngster. He was a bodybuilder. In high school he was recruited to join the football team and reluctantly and wisely did so because colleges offer scholarships to football players not to bodybuilders. His success in high school was based on him being the strongest person on the field, not technique. Likewise in college he was successful based on pure strength not skill.

He has enough strength and works hard enough, he just doesn't have the skill set.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Can he play FB ...

BTW ... Tommy Hodson was a great guy also ...

Lots of great (on paper) athletes who suck out there.

 

[Rob0729]

I agree with all of this, except the part about the Pats conning the Jets. They do their homework too. I doubt they take players just because a competitor wants them. Different needs, schemes, priorities, etc...

Personally, I don't think Goulston is a viable player...

I should clarify. The Pats conned them into thinking the Pats were interested which increased their interest. At the time they drafted Gholston, the Jets were all about copying everything the Pats did. After they drafted Gholston, all the NY media talked about how they stole Gholston from the Pats because the Pats were desperately trying to trade up to the 4th or 5th spot to jump in front of the Jets to grab Gholston (rumors probably spread by the Jets). Which is sily because after the fact, it was found out that the Pats and Saints had a deal done in principle for the Pats to trade down and grab Mayo.

The Jets probably would have drafted Gholston anyway, but the Pats faking interest in the guy probably increased their interest in Gholston.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I'm hoping that Barwin ends up on the Vrabel plan: underutilized by his first team, then comes to NE and lets his inner Patriot shine.

That said, we know he can play TE like Vrabel did . . . but I wonder how GRONK would respond to that.

I share the same dream

As for Gronk, I'd expect his response would be to suit up at OLB for a few plays and knock the crap out of some guys.

 

[Rob0729]

I'm fairly certain Gholston could be coached up and would succeed in the Steelers 3-4. He's about the same size as LaMarr Woodley from memory and I'm sure he could slim down to play like Timmons, Farrior or Harrison.

It can be done.

I doubt it. He has already failed miserably in two systems and at two position. The 3-4 OLB in Ryan's system isn't all that different than what a 3-4 OLB in the Steelers' system. Both are one gap systems where the OLB is allowed to blitz far more than most OLBs are allowed to in other systems.

Gholston's problems are not physical. Physically, he could be a great OLB in the Pats' system. It is a mental thing. He just doesn't have that killer instinct and passion for football. Personally, I don't think there is a system or a position he can succeed in at the NFL level because he doesn't look to have the drive to succeed.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Obviously not.

Just to check: didn't Dane Fletcher have more sacks and more playing time last year?

 

[Triumph]

I should clarify. The Pats conned them into thinking the Pats were interested which increased their interest. At the time they drafted Gholston, the Jets were all about copying everything the Pats did. After they drafted Gholston, all the NY media talked about how they stole Gholston from the Pats because the Pats were desperately trying to trade up to the 4th or 5th spot to jump in front of the Jets to grab Gholston (rumors probably spread by the Jets). Which is sily because after the fact, it was found out that the Pats and Saints had a deal done in principle for the Pats to trade down and grab Mayo.

The Jets probably would have drafted Gholston anyway, but the Pats faking interest in the guy probably increased their interest in Gholston.

Not to mention that OSU grad/NEP Mike Vrabel worked out with Gholston in the off season.

That served 2 purposes: (1) It gave the Pats an inside view on the type of person Gholston was IE - did he love football? Whats most important to him? (2) The Jets surely caught wind of this and were likely convinced that Gholston was BBs next LT and a sure bet.

Like you said, Gholston was never in the Pats plans. IIRC, as soon as the Jets picked him, NE traded down.

 

[BlueThunder]

"Like you said, Gholston was never in the Pats plans. IIRC, as soon as the Jets picked him, NE traded down."

Playing devils advocate here:

Couldn't the same thing happen if the Jets took the guy BB wanted and nobody else was rated high enough so BB traded down for more picks?

Just sayin....

 

[randomk1]

Ghost =

Jets fans call him ghost so i went with that...and considering the topic of discussion i thought it fitting.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Like you said, Gholston was never in the Pats plans. IIRC, as soon as the Jets picked him, NE traded down.

The Pats had actually worked that trade out with New Orleans the night before, but the trading down was brilliant in that it made the JEST think that they took BB's guy.

There's a video where some NY draft analysts were making that very argument. . . . Funny I can't find that video on YouTube anymore.

 

[patsfan-1982]

2008 was just a bad Draft for passruhers as a whole, Chris Long who went #2 over all has 17.5 sacks in 3 years and Cliff Avril who went in the 3rd has 19 sacks in 3 years they are the best passrushers from that Draft

 

[randomk1]

2008 was just a bad Draft for passruhers as a whole, Chris Long who went #2 over all has 17.5 sacks in 3 years and Cliff Avril who went in the 3rd has 19 sacks in 3 years they are the best passrushers from that Draft

Not just 08...recent years have had quite alot of failures among pass rushers.

 

[jmt57]

What 4-3 teams are in need of a DE? First thought was Tampa Bay but they drafted Clayborn and Bowers, so scratch them. Maybe Dallas, Minnesota or Jacksonville; Atlanta, Carolina and Cincinnati are other possibilities too.

 

[The Gr8est]

I agree with all of this, except the part about the Pats conning the Jets. They do their homework too. I doubt they take players just because a competitor wants them. Different needs, schemes, priorities, etc...

Personally, I don't think Goulston is a viable player...

Well rumors were out there that the Pats were hot for Dwayne Robertson and Vernon Ghoston, who were high 1st round busts for the Rats, while we didn't hear a peep about the Pats' interest in 1st year pro Bowler Devin McCourty, who the Rats were rumored to like a lot pre-draft.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Gholston will always have a place in my heart for all that he did for the Jets.

 

[Frezo]

Gholston will always have a place in my heart for all that he did for the Jets.

LOL...When an athletic OLB can't get to the QB in Ryan's system he must really suck.

 

[sbpatfan]

<--- William Gholston, even more of a freak than his brother.