Question about guys like Vernon Gholston

aggo · Post #1 » by **aggo** » Tue Mar 1, 2011 10:17 pm

I think more than any league, it's really only in the NFL high draft picks can be complete utter busts. Of course there are guys like olowokandi etc., but in the NFL it seems most common.

So what causes guys liek Gholston, who had all the "measurables" to become busts? Is it because he was a "tweener" who couldnt stick? Is it because he had 1 "great" year like Maybin did and just happened to look good on film for 10 games?

Roger Murdock · Post #2 » by **Roger Murdock** » Tue Mar 1, 2011 10:55 pm

Gholston was dominant in college because of his strength and power. He blew through people with a bull rush. I remember watching him knock over blockers with one arm. He didnt have much technique and was too stiff to fit in a 3-4 at OLB. He struggles at 3-4 DE but that might have been because hes too small for that.

He needed a lot of coaching to improve his skills but had all the athleticism to be a sweet 4-3 end. I think he was a bad pick and a bad fit for NY. He might be successful somewhere else but I'm not sure. He still needs a lot of coaching.

Post #3 » by **Icness** » Wed Mar 2, 2011 1:49 pm

Roger Murdock wrote:Gholston was dominant in college because of his strength and power. He blew through people with a bull rush. I remember watching him knock over blockers with one arm. He didnt have much technique and was too stiff to fit in a 3-4 at OLB. He struggles at 3-4 DE but that might have been because hes too small for that.

He needed a lot of coaching to improve his skills but had all the athleticism to be a sweet 4-3 end. I think he was a bad pick and a bad fit for NY. He might be successful somewhere else but I'm not sure. He still needs a lot of coaching.

Well said. He was a terrible misfit from Day One in New York and most everyone that knew Gholston knew it. I'd love for him to go to a zone blitzing 4-3 team like the Rams or Eagles and reboot his career. He's still young and far from a lost cause. Aaron Maybin on the other hand...

Roger Murdock · Post #4 » by **Roger Murdock** » Wed Mar 2, 2011 4:37 pm

Apparently there was a 9 million dollar bonus in his contract if he ever recorded a single sack, forced fumble, or fumble recovery. He never did......

SpeedyG · Post #5 » by **SpeedyG** » Wed Mar 2, 2011 6:35 pm

I'd love to see what Joe Cullen can do with Gholston here in Jacksonville. I do agree he'd fit better in a 4-3 scheme than the defense NY tried to pigeon-hole him into.

TSE · Post #6 » by **TSE** » Wed Mar 2, 2011 7:00 pm

I have to agree with some of the sentiments here, I've only been loosely following Gholston as I'm not a Jets fan, but it seems to me they didn't know what they were doing on this one. They didn't even let the guy start and play, so for one they fell into the trap of hoping he would conform to the way they wanted him to be instead of just letting him be. A mess from day 1, bad planning and execution by the team just cuts down on the odds of a player developing and growing. It's like playing craps but saying let's make it even harder and instead of having to hit your point to win the bet, do it two times instead of one. Well in the long-run you just aren't going to be successful when you handcuff your own opportunities without a logical reason that offers a payoff for making it harder on yourself. He has played in 45 games and started 5, that is a BIG problem, and not necessarily Gholston's fault although it could be. He doesn't write the opening lineup card and determine which position he plays.

He basically got Charles Rogers-ed and his team quit on him and didn't nurture and care for him in a way to help him develop, and they essentially trained him and coached him to be a failure. Even Rambo would have been useless if his commanding officer led him to walk off a cliff, but letting him do things his way and he's more effective than an entire army lol! Guys like Gholston and Rogers were studs in college and it wasn't by accident, they had real skills and abilities and it's up to the team to figure out how to harness it, and if they aren't sure they know how to harness it then what the heck did they pick the guy for? Any way you slice it, the team screwed something up is the only thing that is known for certain. Not every child is textbook, some are quirky and some have disabilities and it's up to the parents to adapt for the sake of their offspring. The Jets failed him from not giving him every opportunity to succeed, and it's that cross-section of the missed opportunities wherein Gholston's potential breakout and success may have lied. Gotta make the most of every opportunity if you want to secure your best likelihood of avoiding a bust.