Former Ohio State NFL draft bust recognized as all-time workout warrior at Scouting Combine
The Ohio State Buckeyes have long been a top-notch pipeline to the NFL for excellent talent. Few programs better prepare their talent for the big stage, offering excellent strength and conditioning, pressure-filled experiences, and elite coaching. But that doesn't mean there aren't guys who bust out at the NFL level from every program. One of […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes have long been a top-notch pipeline to the NFL for excellent talent. Few programs better prepare their talent for the big stage, offering excellent strength and conditioning, pressure-filled experiences, and elite coaching. But that doesn't mean there aren't guys who bust out at the NFL level from every program.
One of the biggest NFL busts over the last two decades was Vernon Gholston. The sixth overall pick of the New York Jets in the 2008 NFL Draft had the raw numbers of a star and dominated the scouting combine. Despite this, Gholston never found his footing in the NFL.
I named Gholston as the second-biggest winner of any scouting combine ever recently, and here was my analysis.
The 2007 Ohio State defense was loaded with future NFL players, but it was surprising when Vernon Gholston was drafted before any of his peers. Sure, his 14-sack junior season played a part in that, but Gholston wasn't the dominating presence who made it feel like he was that sort of player. Instead, guys like Cameron Heyward, James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, Larry Grant, and Malcolm Jenkins were often the catalysts for big plays.
Gholston did well to take advantage of his opportunities, though, closing out the year with nine sacks against Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and LSU. What came next vaulted him from a fringe first-rounder to the sixth overall pick to the New York Jets.
It's not hard to see why the Jets may have ignored some red flags on film, such as Gholston's struggle to change direction and lack of real plan as a pass-rusher. His raw stats were great, and his combine was historic. The rest was up to Eric Mangini to develop.
Standing 6-foot-3 and 266 pounds, Gholston became an all-time defensive line prospect. His 4.65 40-yard dash, 35.5" vertical jump, 125" broad jump, and 37 reps on the bench ranked no worse than the 93rd percentile for all linemen ever. That's basically like Jared Verse's athletic profile.
Instead of Gholston being a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, though, he totaled 42 tackles and zero sacks over his three-year career. It just never clicked for Gholston, and it didn't take long for the Jets to realize they overreacted to his combine. In fairness to the Jets, though, the Dolphins considered Gholston to be the top overall pick before settling on Jake Long.
Gholston's reputation with Ohio State is better than his one with the Jets because he helped beat Michigan in both seasons he played in The Game. He was a fun player to root for and was effective against worse athletes.
However, looking back at his highlights show he was a bit of an awkward and stiff mover, and that may have been a big reason why he busted in the NFL.
