Tag Archives: Vernon Gholston

March 1, 2011 · 7:19 AM

The Bust The Pats Missed

Remember him?

That’s Vernon Gholston from Ohio State. He was a college teammate of James Laurinaitis on the Buckeyes and a player I had pegged for the Patriots to take in the first round back in the spring of 2008.

As we all know the Patriots ended up trading down to the #10 pick instead of the #7 they were slotted at and took defensive captain inside linebacker Jerod Mayo. Did I mention that Mayo also won the defensive rookie of the year award? Yup.

But what about Gholston? If I had him slotted at the #7 pick where did he end up?

That would be the #6 overall pick to the New York Jets. They drafted him with the hopes of him being the Willie McGinest type outside linebacker in a 3-4 package. They saw his size, speed, and the fact that he blew by the #1 overall pick in 2008 Jake Long for a couple sacks while in college.

Well, at this point that seems to be where he peaked. The #6 overall pick never lived up to the hype or what many believe, his potential. It makes me wonder if this guy was really that good or if somehow the Pats hyped him up so much as their target that the Jets snagged him just to keep him out of New England.

All that being said the Jets cut him on Monday night making him a free agent. He didn’t really get into Rex Ryan’s system and was moved to defensive end from outside linebacker but really spent most of his career on special teams.

My question now is this; is he really a bust or could he still catch on somewhere else like New England? As much as I’d like the conspiracy theories to be accurate as far as the Pats hyping him up to fool the Jets into taking him, I really think the Pats were interested. Why not take a flier on him at this point. So long as he has a good attitude and wouldn’t cost the team too much on a contract.

Or he’s really a bust and will be pumping $5 a gallon gas at some service station this summer.

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April 24, 2008 · 10:18 PM

NFL Friday

So off the bat I’ll let you know that the Pats signed Marcus Pollard, although you probably already heard about that. He’s likely not going to be much so I look for the team to draft a TE, but not in the first round, certainly not at #7. I wouldn’t be shocked if the team took John Carlson from Notre Dame possibly trading up in the second round to nab him.

But you don’t really give a rat’s ass about the second round do you? You want to know what’s up with the first round pick especially after that awful day in February. We all have been looking forward to the Draft and more importantly to next season starting.

So the early favorite was Vernon Gholston and I referenced it myself. But that was March and a whole lot has changed.

Miami is drafting Jake Long with the first pick having signed him on Tuesday. After that, it’s all up in the air. So I’ll hit you with the names that are being bounced around, the big names and the Pats prospects.

I think that Matt Ryan should go #3 to Atlanta, but that’s not going to happen. I see him falling all the way to #8 Baltimore. I think McFadden should go to the Raiders, but I was reading that Al Davis is in love with Gholston.

Here’s my thought, if the Raiders pick Gholston at #4 and Chris Long is there at #5 the Pats make it happen, trade up and take him. That’s just me. But I made reference to picking up Chris Long a while back and Big Jeff has my back on that conversation.

What will likely happen though? The Pats will probably trade down from the #7 to possibly #10 with the Saints or #13 with the Panthers. With the #10 I’d guess Keith Rivers the OLB from USC. #13, who knows.

If they end up keeping the pick, which I hope they don’t do (unless a stud falls on their lap), the rumor is that they’re looking at Sedrick Ellis the DT from USC. The defensive line isn’t where the team needs to improve. The only way this would work is if the move him to DE, Seymour drops 40 pounds and becomes and outside linebacker.

I understand you take the best player on the board, but that’s when you have a shitty pick in the twenties or thirties. Not seven. Hopefully if they trade down even further they address the aging line-backing corp (OLB & ILB), the secondary (notably CB), and the offensive line (tackle anyone?) that got schooled in the Super Bowl all in the same draft. Maybe McFadden falls in their laps at #7 and Dallas gives up their two first round picks so then the Pats draft a LB, DE Hybrid (think McGinnist), and a CB.

Saturday will be fun. Hopefully Scott and Bill make us proud.

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March 31, 2008 · 10:06 PM

Patriots Tuesday

Did you hear a giant thud coming from about 2,600 miles away? Yeah that was Big Jeff’s manhood hitting his desk when he read the story.

Yeah, the Patriots are having Arkansas Razorback and best running back coming out of college Darren McFadden into Foxboro next Thursday and Friday. But, I’ll save you the suspense. No chance this guy signs with the Pats. Besides the fact that I don’t think he’s on the board at #7 and don’t see the Pats trading up I just don’t think that’s the best thing to do with the pick.

The glaring weaknesses that we’ve been talking about since that day in February at linebacker and corner are way too big to spend a pick on an offensive player let alone a skill position.

I wish that Da Guy’s prediction of the Little Animal could come true but he wanted to head back to Ohio State. All indications are that Vernon Gholston the Little Animal’s college teammate will be joining the Pats. Click the link on his name, the guy is huge.

Well, maybe not defensive end huge. As big as this guy is, I see him lining up opposite Adalius Thomas on the outside and Vrabel and Bruschi on the inside. Just think, I could line up at corner and with this beast in the mix with our nasty front three it wouldn’t even matter. The opposing quarterback would be digging mulch out of his teeth by the time I realized what receiver I was supposed to cover.

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March 4, 2008 · 8:01 AM

Randy’s Back!

I know that everyone was expecting a 300 word breakdown of the embarrassing Bruins loss last night to the Caps 10-2 but with the Randy Moss signing I opted for another free agency column.

Randy

So the Pats addressed the need of a #1 wide out in Moss, leaving the #2 job a spot they need to fill. Welker was awesome last season but he’s a slot man and will be less effective on the outside. The top guys available (per ESPN) are DJ Hackett from the Seahawks, Javon Walker released by the Broncos and Bryant Johnson from the Cardinals. Of the three Johnson is the most intriguing guy on that list. For every year that Boldin and/or Fitzgerald gets hurt this guy steps up and becomes the #2 guy. At 6’3″ I like his size and think he’d be good on the outside opposite Moss.

Of course if the team brings back Gaffney I wouldn’t be worried at all on the wide-out front. You’d have Moss and Gaffney on the outside, Welker in the slot and then Kelley Washington and Chad Jackson as your backups. If the team stays healthy they shouldn’t have too much trouble with these two as the backups. Plus Washington was great on special teams.

So, lots of push back on the suggestion that the team bring in DeAngelo Hall. So, we’ll assume the Pats won’t go that route based on what the Guy pointed out about the clubhouse cancer factor. What else is out there? Eric Green is a restricted free agent from Arizona and Domonique Foxworth is a restricted free agent from the Broncos. Both are entering their fourth year in the league. Green is ranked by ESPN as a “good starter” but not an “outstanding player” or “Elite Player” like Moss. Foxworth is ranked as an “average starter”. Somehow I think that looking at your team starting the season with average and good corners isn’t the recipe for a Championship.

According to Todd McShay of ESPN the Pats, should they stay at the #7 spot in the draft, are looking at Ohio State’s DE Vernon Gholston. The plan would be to draft him at end and move him to the OLB position. I know we all wanted the “Little Animal” but he decided to finish his degree and stay at school.

Here’s my plan if I’m running the Pats. I get Dallas on the line and trade that #7 for their #22 & #28 picks. I throw in a second rounder next year if needed to get it done. With the #22 pick you draft a CB (McShay has CB Mike Jenkins of South Florida going at that spot) and draft a linebacker/defensive end you can make an outside linebacker at the #28 spot (Perhaps Dan Connor from Penn State (linebacker-U)).

billscott

Bill and Scott have a plan, you know they do. Just one of those times that we, the fans, wish that they would show us the blueprint.

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