I had a chat with Vernon Gholston

[Defsoul]

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

I thought they were cousins?

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Yes, you are likely spot on. Another example of asking someone to do something they aren't necessarily 'good' at, or utilizing them to the best of their strengths. I do believe that the supposed experts claimed that he'd still be able to play both coming out of school though. I guess they were very wrong, lol.

At OSU, he played 4-3 LDE with Cameron Heyward { } playing RDE. OSU moved to the 4-3/3-4 Leo system, where Cam was the 5tech DE along w. two DT's and Vernon playing the leo spot. For the most part, he was in a 3 pt stance and often rush the passer, occasionally dropping into coverage in either a 2 or 3pt stance.

I remember his last year at OSU. When he was cold, he sucked, when he was hot, man, he was unstoppable. I wouldn't mind bringing in just in camp to see if he has anything left to offer.

Remember, in that incredible Moss catch in week 2, he beat Matt Light and was about to strip Brady but Brady in less than a second stepped up in the pocket and threw the ball.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

I thought they were cousins?

I think you are correct.

 

[TheComeback]

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.

Right. And I think calling him a "failure" is harsh and smacks a little bit of athlete-envy. If my athletic career ended with a free college education, a top 10 pick in the NFL draft, and a multi-million dollar contract that set me up for life, I definitely wouldn't consider myself a failure. I'd say that's a pretty damn good deal.

 

[randomk1]

Right. And I think calling him a "failure" is harsh and smacks a little bit of athlete-envy. If my athletic career ended with a free college education, a top 10 pick in the NFL draft, and a multi-million dollar contract that set me up for life, I definitely wouldn't consider myself a failure. I'd say that's a pretty damn good deal.

Nobody would give a damn what you would consider yourelf. It all comes down to performing on the field and he hasn't done jack ****.

 

[Ring 6]

At OSU, he played 4-3 LDE with Cameron Heyward { } playing RDE. OSU moved to the 4-3/3-4 Leo system, where Cam was the 5tech DE along w. two DT's and Vernon playing the leo spot. For the most part, he was in a 3 pt stance and often rush the passer, occasionally dropping into coverage in either a 2 or 3pt stance.

Gholston and Heyward did not play together/

I remember his last year at OSU. When he was cold, he sucked, when he was hot, man, he was unstoppable. I wouldn't mind bringing in just in camp to see if he has anything left to offer.

Remember, in that incredible Moss catch in week 2, he beat Matt Light and was about to strip Brady but Brady in less than a second stepped up in the pocket and threw the ball.

Getting ridden past the QB who stepped up into the pocket is not a quality that would make me interested in the guy.

 

[Ring 6]

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.

I think every 43 team is in need of DEPTH at DE, and at this point Gholston couldn't be considered any more than that by any stretch.

 

[BaltimorePatsFan]

If Rex Ryan, arguably the best defensive mind in football RIGHT NOW, couldn't turn this guy into an NFL player, I highly doubt BB could.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Gholston and Heyward did not play together/


I remember the org DE Rob Rose (Fins PS) being injured in the 1st or 2nd game of 2007. He broke his leg or ankle and Heyward took his job in the Washington game.

 

[IcyPatriot]

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[Joker]

yeah...so I was taking a long, lonely ,introspective stroll down by the mill pond in the woods and who do I run into? Damned if it ain't ol' "Lonely Walks" Vernon all by his lonesome...so I stroll past and say "hey.." and he says.."hey..." and we walk away from each other in different directions...lost in thought and introspection...uh...that's about all I got to add to this scintillating topic....:yawn2:

 

[Captain Cliche]

​

IcyPatriot's got BINGO. I was just going to Google that. Thanks for saving me the trouble.

Here's my other thought:

Body builder=roids=college football star.
NFL=stricter roids testing= no roids=el BUSTola

How stringent is drug testing in college compared to the NFL?

I'm wondering if the Pats avoid obvious roid boys for this reason. Examples...Shawne Merriman, Clay Matthews, the Boz??????????

 

[Rob0729]

Wow! That's pathetic. That is one of those bonuses that teams throw in there knowing they will have to pay up, but it helps for cap reasons. The Jets had every expectation of paying that bonus. It is one small consolation for drafting one of the biggest busts in their team history. Possibly the biggest.

 

[Ring 6]

Gholston and Heyward did not play together/


I remember the org DE Rob Rose (Fins PS) being injured in the 1st or 2nd game of 2007. He broke his leg or ankle and Heyward took his job in the Washington game.

You are right

 

[zoostation]

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.

Yes indeed. I remember it like it was yesterday. Laughing at the Clippers....errr Jets. Laughed harder after Mayo's rookie season.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Wow! That's pathetic. That is one of those bonuses that teams throw in there knowing they will have to pay up, but it helps for cap reasons. The Jets had every expectation of paying that bonus. It is one small consolation for drafting one of the biggest busts in their team history. Possibly the biggest.

Accepting that contract was malpractice on the part of Gholston's agent.

$9M for one sack/FF/FR? Seriously? There is zero chance the JEST would have paid that, even if he earned it. Now if they had done something like $1M per for up to nine, and he earned the whole thing, then that they might have paid.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

It's hard to believe Gholston was such a bust. Interestingly enough, Gholston matched up quite well with Matthews at the combine. Below are their stats. Which is which?

40 Yrd Dash: 4.65 4.62
20 Yrd Dash: 2.65 2.68
10 Yrd Dash: 1.53 1.49
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 37 23
Vertical Jump: 35 1/2 35 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'05" 10'01"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.40 4.18
3-Cone Drill: 7.12 6.90

The obvious argument is Gholston played DE and was changing positions. But Gholston also started more than one year, and had 8+ sacks in consecutive seasons, while Matthews managed 4 in his only season as a starter.

Gholston is player A above. Crazy considering he carried 25 pounds more than Matthews.

 

[randomk1]

It's hard to believe Gholston was such a bust. Interestingly enough, Gholston matched up quite well with Matthews at the combine. Below are their stats. Which is which?

40 Yrd Dash: 4.65 4.62
20 Yrd Dash: 2.65 2.68
10 Yrd Dash: 1.53 1.49
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 37 23
Vertical Jump: 35 1/2 35 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'05" 10'01"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.40 4.18
3-Cone Drill: 7.12 6.90

The obvious argument is Gholston played DE and was changing positions. But Gholston also started more than one year, and had 8+ sacks in consecutive seasons, while Matthews managed 4 in his only season as a starter.

Gholston is player A above. Crazy considering he carried 25 pounds more than Matthews.

None of that power or explosiveness shows on the field though whereas Matthews looks as explosive as his 10 yard dash indicates.

 

[The Scrizz]

Wow! That's pathetic. That is one of those bonuses that teams throw in there knowing they will have to pay up, but it helps for cap reasons. The Jets had every expectation of paying that bonus. It is one small consolation for drafting one of the biggest busts in their team history. Possibly the biggest.

He was damned if you do, damned if you don't on this one. If he gets the sack it's 9 million more reasons for the Jets to cut him.

I actually almost made a bet with someone on Jets Insider his rookie year that Crable would match him in sacks but never heard back. That would have been sweet, winning on the double-bust.

 

[townes]

The only problem with Gholston is that he sucks as a football player, i don't think he could start in the Arena League.