New York Jets, Not Vernon Gholston, to Blame for “Bust” Label

The experimentation with players going on in the NFL today is out of control. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with trying to move a receiver with only decent hands to defensive back. Or maybe moving a running back who isn’t quite big enough to run between the tackles to receiver.

However, teams must be smart about how they experiment and with whom. For some, the switch from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker has worked very well (see: DeMarcus Ware). However, for most, a position change is met with a much higher learning curve than they would have originally faced and can really set back their careers.

And unfortunately, that’s what is happening right now with 2008 sixth-overall pick in the draft, a defensive end out of Ohio State, Vernon Gholston.

The Jets took a huge gamble by drafting him sixth overall considering they were not asking him to play a position he had ever played before. It might not seem like a big difference (from 4-3DE to 3-4OLB), but their is a huge disparity in the way the game is played with your hand on the ground or standing up.

Gholston had made his living at OSU as a hand-in-the-ground type of player. They drafted him based on his production as an outside speed-rusher, but clearly didn’t do a good job scouting him standing straight up.

Gholston is playing defensive end now in the 3-4, but he’s simply not big enough at 260 pounds. Those guys playing that position, in that scheme, must be strong enough to hold up two blockers but also ditch those blockers at any time and make a play at the line of scrimmage.

At this point, it seems like it might be time for the Jets to admit they were wrong to draft him so high without a defined position. They should trade him to a 4-3 team with a downhill type of mentality on defense and allow him to get after the quarterback from his natural position.

I’m not so sure the word “Bust” would be thrown around in the same context any longer.