With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.
When the Jets signed Calvin Pace as a free agent this offseason, many mocked them for the amount of money spent on a player with a fairly limited history of productivity. It was a move borne of desperate need, however, which calls for desperate measures. In two years with Eric Mangini, the Jets have failed to consistently rush the passer which gives opposing quarterbacks too much comfort and too much time to pick the defense apart. Pace should help that but if this year's Super Bowl taught us anything, it's that you can never have enough pressure on the pocket.
That's why Vernon Gholston is the right pick here. A superior pass rusher at Ohio State, Gholston would team with Pace and Bryan Thomas in revamping the defense from passive to aggressive. Gholston's physical attributes are off the charts and he solidified his lofty ranking by dominating Jake Long in the de facto Big Ten championship game in November.
There are reasons to think that Gholston won't be the same factor in the NFL that he was in college. He relied on superior speed in the often slow-motion Big Ten and had a combine performance that would make Mike Mamula jealous. He'll need to become more consistent and prove that he's as good a player as he is an athlete but, at six, there's no one who makes as much sense given the Jets needs.
That includes Matt Ryan, if you're wondering. For all their offseason wheeling and dealing, quarterback remains something of a question mark but the way to turn it into an exclamation point isn't by taking a guy who will need time to develop.
It also includes Sedrick Ellis. Although he's got skills to spare, his style doesn't seem suited to the Jets needs in the 3-4. The USC tackle should be a productive NFL player but after Dewayne Robertson, the last thing the team needs to do is try and fit another square peg in a round hole.
It wouldn't surprise if the Jets traded down, especially if Ryan is on the board. Defensive ends like Derrick Harvey and Phillip Merling as well as a smattering of corner prospects would make sense a few spots lower in the draft order.
The Skinny:
Team Needs - DE, LB, CB, WR, QB
Player Selected - Vernon Gholston, DE/LB, Ohio State
Also Considered - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC; Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College; Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
Previous Pick: No. 5, Ryan Clady, Chiefs
Next Pick: No. 7, New England Patriots
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. trust me gholston is gone by pick 6, if mcfadden is as well jets should trade down
Posted at 4:32PM on Apr 2nd 2008 by bkonli77
2. I agree with the above completely. I want Mcfadden #1 if not Gholston #2
If there not available trade down and go for a top wide out. In 2nd or 3rd round take Ray Rice if Mcfadden isn't grabbed in Round 1
Posted at 3:07PM on Apr 14th 2008 by neil Brown
3. Agree I want Gholston if he gone then Mcfadden both gone then trade get Harvey or Merling. I wouldn't mind jets picking a WR, Limas Sweed or Devin Thomas. then with the 2 picks in the second Rd, get a DE, Calais Campbell or Cliff Avril RB, Ray Rice or Jonathan Stewart.
Posted at 9:12PM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Irishmanjtm
4. I'd love McFadden or Gholston to fall to the Jets. What I'm worried about is that both of them will be gone. Then we will have to pick Matt Ryan and trade him to the Ravens or some other team desperate for a QB. If those guys are gone it would be nice to trade down and draft a corner and an OT. I really like Aquib Talib and Jeff Otah.
Posted at 9:18AM on Apr 25th 2008 by pep pep
5. If only the Jets had lost that season ending, meaningless Chiefs game. They would be sitting pretty. Going from pick six to four is HUGE in this draft. McFadden would be right there and if we were so inclined, we could trade down and get two first round quality players.
Posted at 9:42AM on Apr 25th 2008 by pep pep
6. Your assessment of Gholsten is too premature and having great workouts and combine results doesn't prove that the player will be hall of fame material.
Too often the hype is always greater than the product and the same can be said about college football players.
Let me refresh your memory if you are old enough to go back that far. Brian Bosworth nad Tony Mandarich were claimed can't miss products and their workouts and college achievements proved absolutely nothing when they entered the NFL. Both of these guys were more about glitter than substance and their failings proved that too often the media can fall in love with a player before he is given the chance to compete on a playing field that is completely different than the college level.
The will of the player is often the driving force to excelling in sport and that goes for any sport. Jerry Rice is a perfect case in point that a small school player who wasn't the fastest or the strongest was to become the greatest Wide Receiver in the history of the NFL. No question that most of the players that enter the NFL have talent for when you think about it only 224 of thousands of players get drafted. Too often we think that talent alone is the most important factor in the success of athletes but I have come to realize that the greatest attribute that a player can have is determination and a strong will. These are in my opinion the most important measurables that contribute to the success of any football franchise for it is what seperates the great teams from the mediocre ones simply because they have the ability to understand that these qualities are what defines the success of any great football. franchise.
Posted at 7:54PM on Apr 25th 2008 by rudy