Speaking of which, I keep forgetting to change mine. Maybe I'll change it to Bryan Cox with a pair of crossboners.
This is EXACTLY what I was talking about the day of the draft. Forget the sack where he got by Long. Watch what he does to him here. 2:58-3:02 MANHANDLES JAKE LONG! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE2y_ypR9wQ
That's not Long he's matched up against there. This one, however, is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yot9ClPvZDg Remember seeing this last year and thinking this guy could be a good 3-4 OLB. We'll see how it turns out I guess, but I trust this FO's talent evaluation and I have a good feeling about Gholston. The lack of a motor is a common knock on elite passrusher's. He has a quick first step and played against better competition than Long. Long does look like he has quicker hands though and maybe more technical skill fighting off blockers with his hands right now. Gholston simply brute forced his way past blockers with his speed and strength. The claim that he's a workout wonder is also ridiculous in my mind. Mangini said it best. This guy broke the OSU single season sack record. He arguably had the best two-year production out of any passrusher in the draft at a major program. How are you gonna tell me that he rose only because of workouts. His workouts only confirmed his elite measurables. Practice and coaching can improve technique and film study can lead to better instincts. You can't really mould a player into the physical specimen that Gholston is. Many of the people who knocked him for the LSU game only looked at his statline for sacks. I remember seeing many instances where Gholston pressured the QB. Those are very valuable statistics for a passrusher too. Also, I don't care that he didn't get sacks in a consistent distribution throughout the season. No passrusher will, that's ridiculous to expect a season entirely composed of one or two sack games. Also, I'd be more cautious of him if these big-sack games were against nobodies, but the fact is he stepped up sack numbers when the competition was tougher.
I think a lot of people knock on Gholston because he seems too good to be true. He manhandles one of the best OT in college football over the past few years and people can't accept that maybe Gholston is just that good. He was rated a top 10 prospect before the combine, and then he puts up huge numbers and raises his stock a little. He is a physical beast, and all we need him to do is plow through the line and chase the QB. I don't see how someone with his speed, strength, and size won't be able to do that effectively. Gentlemen, I think we will have one of the best pass rushers thats ever played when all is said and done.
I actually liked Harvey better in this draft for all the reasons that have been listed in the negative about Gholston. With that said, worst case scenario Gholston will be a tremendous pass rusher. I'm thinking 10-14 sacks rookie year. he may never develop into an all around LB'er if the rumors are true about him, but 10-14 sacks as a situational pass rusher I can live with. If he is a good hard worker, he could easily develop into a perennial All Pro with his physical skills. I'm looking at it this way. Mangini puts a very high value on a players love of football, and their work ethic. He has interviewed this guy in depth. If he suspected his heart wasn't in football, or he couldn't be coached up past his flaws, I think the Jets would have traded out.
worst case scenario is 10-14 sacks his rookie year? wow - i hope you're right, but you may be setting yourself up for a major let down.
Dude, Superman would have trouble racking up 10-14 sacks as a situational pass rusher. However, I don't think we drafted a guy at number 6 to play situationally.
I realize those are very high numbers for a rookie. This kid is a pass rushing beast. He is also the type player that when he is matched against a certain type of OL can rack up 3 sacks a game against that player. John Abraham was also that type player. Would get multiple sacks in one game, then disappear. Gholston is a much more physical player then Abraham ever was. I really have high hopes for this kid. If he accepts the coaching he should fulfill it. Hey, it's still April, got to be hopeful
That's the rap on Gholsoton. Will he give the effort to become an every down player? Thomas had 8.5 sacks in 06. Gholston is a much better player right now then Thomas ever will be. The guy has unbelievable physical skills, and yes, I really do believe he can get 10 + sacks as a 2nd & 3rd down type player. Depends on what the defense allows on 1st down. If the opposing offense is in a lot of 2nd and 8's, he will get his 10+ sacks, even if he isn't in on 1st down. If the O is in a lot of 2nd and 4's, he won't. I think with the addition of Jenkins and Pace there will be a lot of 2nd and 8's. As I mentioned above, I preferred Harvey, he was the safer player, but I really think that Gholston is going to be a premier pass rusher right from day one
^^If he's going to be that good in situational plays, why not have him on the field for all 4 downs. Maybe with that explosion he can block punts too. Why make him a 2 down guy, making it easy for NFL Tackles and OCs to plan for him being on the field, which could slow down his production. It is the NFL, not college. What Tressel said needed to be addressed. The head coach himself saying "wait a minute, no one knows this kid more than me, i put him in those situations, here's why he "disappeared" in some lower-talent opposition games. Everyone calm down and stop attacking my guy. He's gunna be great." Honestly we can find huge holes in all the top 6 guys' games. J. Long- speed rushers kill him (Gholston). Most see him as a perfect RT. C. Long- OVERACHIER (DURRR)- Short arms, etc. Ryan- INTs a problem, decision making may suck, overrated. DMC- He's a Raider, he's going to suck. Dorsey- He's being coached at Herm's Kansas City Chiefs Day Spa. Injury to leg may come back to haunt him. Gholston- all the BS above. See? its easy to take apart anyone's game.
Again, read what his coach had to say. He wasn't a human highlight reel on every play because he wasn't used as just a situational pass rusher. He played man coverage. He dropped into zone coverage. To put it simply, he did what was best for his team and what was asked of him by his coach rather than trying to do what was best for padding his stats. Tressell is a VERY conservative coach. My guess is that in games against teams they were supposed to beat easily, Gholston was used in a much more conservative role, playing much more coverage than simply rushing off the line on every down. The tougher teams required a different approach. Gholston was freed up to focus on getting to the QB and disrupting the opponent's gameplan to make that extra difference. Given the way he was used in college, and the diverse skill set he has as a result, he's ideally suited to play OLB in our system. He won't be used as a situational pass rusher, but you're right...on those 2nd, 3rd and longs, he'll be all over the QB.
Correct. Since he has all of that experience in coverage, wouldn't it be common sense it realize that is perfect for the 3-4 and all the BS about him not being able to make the transition is retarded? This is a Rhetorical question to all those who read it.
Well to be honest Dorsey may have been crying because he was drafted by the Chiefs at #5 LOL, okay I'm giving the Chiefs a hard time here.
When you combine the value at # 6, Gholston's production at an elite school,the need he fills and his off the CHART traingle numbers(possibly the best ever)..he really was a no brainer for us. I don't see him as a boom/bust type at all. The absolute worst case scenario for him(barring injury) is that he's a helluva 3rd down pass rusher. This guy could be BETTER than Shawn Merriman. As for Chris Long...Ive been thinking about this alot lately...and I'm actually much happier w/ Gholston. I'll explain why.... 1. Long may have the better technique and the rare intangibles that coaches love. But he doesnt have much of a physical ceiling to get better.He may get smarter, continue to harness his technique and possibly get alil stronger, but generally What you see is what you get. When you compare that to Gholston, who by the way had BETTER stats than Long in college(granted they played different positions) and the very fact that Gholston has an extremely high ceiling... You have to favor Gholston long term purely from a talent standpoint. 2. The days leading up to the draft I actually was convinced Long would end up as a Jet. I kept coming back to the same concern however; Where he truly fits in a 34 scheme. Everyone talked about how "You can put him all over the place", but what would his true position be? He's not quick enough to be a full time OLB and he's not big enough to be a 3-4 end. I kind of saw him as one of those guys the CS doesnt know what to do w/. Long is better off as a striongside end in a 43 scheme. 3. As much as I love Long's intangibles as an on the field leader, I feel like we already have a good number of those guys w/ Rhodes, Pennington, T. Jones, Ellis and Coles. What i wanted to see added was some nasty attitude.Somebody who isnt afraid to mix it up w/ Matt Light and the rest of the pats front 5 Hick crew. Now Gholston has a mild mannered personality off the field...but if you watch the film on him and his on the field demeanor...he is a beast w/ a big time chip on his shoulder. Again, Long may be the more finished product currently, and by all means is a great prospect...but I'm much happier w/ Gholston Schematically, in the locker room, and obviously long term potential.
Numbers are for fantasy baseball geeks. Football is too complex to judge a defensive end or linebacker by just numbers.
That kind of thing doesn't work in the NFL... He has to learn to ride the block to an extent and then use a move (of which he has demonstrated zero ability to or understanding of to this point) to get off the block and make a play.... The players in the NFL are too big, too fast and too strong to get by on sheer athletic strength and ability.... That same play against an NFL team results in the runner either beating him to the corner and cutting up, or going through his arm tackle for a decent gain.... I like Gholston's potential, but he needs to learn how to get off blocks, not just go around or through them.... Our coaches have their work cut out for them...
I really think you missed that play...he did it more than once too. He pretty much drags his blocker to wherever he drags him until the RB tries to get by...then he grabs him. Thats pure power, and far from showing no clue or ability on what to do. You're over analyzing the crap out of it IMO. Scientific. Fact. No doubt about it. Around or through works for me as long as he's doing what he's been doing. Around or through are actually about the only two real options when you think about it...its like saying "my car better be able to drive up/down because straight ahead, right, left, and in reverse isn't enough." You really think the guy would go 6th overall if he was anywhere near as raw as people try to paint him?
That play just shows his immense ability. He absolutely runs over three nfl draft picks, including the number 1 overall pick (get ready for more of that dolphin fans). Gholston could very well be the animal we desperately need coming off the edge. I hope Mangini dials up a ton of OLB blitzes.. can you imagine both Gholston and Pace blitzing on 3rd and 7? thats gonna be a treat
