Dayton's Memorial Hall closing
Science experiments at WSU
Students buy goods for annual party
Bengals will have to move up for OSU's Gholston
COMMENT: Do you think the Bengals should go after Vernon Gholston?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
After a stellar playing career at Ohio State followed by a tremendous workout performance at the Combine, Buckeyes' DE Vernon Gholston has elevated his draft status from a potential Top 10 to a Top 5 pick.
The 6-foot-4 266-pound freak of nature wowed NFL scouts with his speed, strength, agility and athletic ability during drills at the Combine. Gholston is one imposing figure and a master of destruction on the playing field going from 0 to 60 in a millisecond to get all up in the quarterback's grill.
Extras
The sack master posted 22.5 sacks in his last two seasons with the Buckeyes.
I had a few scouts tell me that Gholston was the man to see in Indy and that was before his workout. They referred to him as the most intriguing prospect entering the draft.
Smith might go
With the Cincinnati Bengals slapping the franchise tag on OG Stacy Andrews that leaves the door open for veteran DE Justin Smith to pound the pavement and test the waters of free agency. Should Smith find greener pastures outside the 'Nati this would create an immediate void at the defensive end position on defense.
The consensus of Cincinnati Bengal fans that I have talked to would love to see the team select Gholston with their first pick in the upcoming draft. The Bengals currently own the No. 9 selection in this year's draft, but would definitely have to move up the board if they are to have any shot at nabbing Gholston.
There are at least two teams picking in the Top 5 that could be potential trade partners for the Bengals. That would be the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 3 pick and Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 5 pick. The Bengals organization may have a better chance of convincing the Chiefs' Powers That Be to swap places due to the close relationship that Marvin Lewis and Herm Edwards share.
The Bengals could take their chances and stand pat, but there is no guarantee that the fierce pass-rusher would be available at No. 9.
A versatile player
There is no question that the Bengals could use a player on defense with the versatility of Gholston.
He was recruited to Ohio State as a linebacker and made the switch to end once he arrived in Columbus. So playing linebacker would be a familiar role if the team felt a need to make a switch.
According to agent Ben Dogra, Gholston would excel in any type of defense.
"It's a little early to speculate but we believe that Vernon has the ability to play in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense. He has a lot of versatility," Dogra said.
"We think he has the ability to be a strong end in a 4-3 defense and the ability to drop back in the 3-4. I think he's very unique from that perspective because there are very few players who have that combination of strength and speed. That's not a very easy thing to find, and because of that he offers that type of flexibility to a team running either defense. That's what sets him apart from the other guys."
No preference
As for Gholston, he doesn't have a preference to the type of defense he could end up playing and welcomes the challenge of the unknown.
"When I was at Ohio State I predominately had my hands down in the dirt," Gholston said. "But 30 or 40 percent of the time I was in a standup alignment so there really is no preference for me. I think that is one of the big things I bring to the table. With me it's all about taking advantage of that. Whatever a team wants me to do whether it is standup or play down in games. I'm able and willing to do that."
How does Gholston see himself? Pretty much like all the scouts.
"Outside looking in, I see a guy who really has no limits," he said. We can put him anywhere on the field and he is going to make plays. We can do so many different things with him and not be a liability."
Gholston said the constant growth of getting better is there and that he has only scratched the surface of where he wants to take his game.
Big C's Scouting Report:
Gholston is an explosive player with tremendous upside. He's very strong and versatile with a non-stop motor. He's a disruptive player capable of wreaking havoc on every down.
Gholston is a gifted athlete with good study habits and is highly intelligent. He has outstanding quickness and is not one dimensional.
Teams have seen Gholston play defensive end, but want to see him do all the drops from a standup position. Gholston weighs 266 pounds and could carry 270 pounds on his granite frame which would be an ideal weight for a pass-rusher in the pros. It is believed that Gholston could carry that weight and still have one of the quickest first steps off the edge.
More NFL draft coverage: Catch the latest NFL news, subscribe to the RSS feed, or get automatic e-mail notification of the latest news for your teams at BigCProFootball.com and coxohio.com/bigc.
Comments
By Todd Charske
November 20, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
Funny how it turns out - bengals still stink and Vernon isn’t really even playing.
By Rob
February 29, 2008 1:18 AM | Link to this
I’d have to agree with whoever it was that said Kenny Phillips from the U. OSU defenders have been hit or miss in the pros, Vrabel, Springs, Clements, Hawk being good, Doss, Carpenter, Derek Ross, Youboty, Pickett, Darrion Scott being not as good (still love ‘em though…) Anyway… I would hate to miss out on the next Reed/Taylor (RIP), Rolle, Lewis, DJ Williams, Vilma, whoever, that comes out of the U… especially if it means losing Chad Johnson. You really wanna count on Chris Henry?
By #1 FAN!
February 28, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
if they don’t move up for gholston i will never forgive this franchise. we always settle for average talent. gholston is exactly what this team/defense needs. you have 10 picks use them to get the sack master!!!!
By James
February 28, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Bengal may consider moving up an option with so many of the top 5/6 considering trading down.It would be a decent decision with so much chaos being the bengals defense.Pretty much ranking last against everything. Gholston may be a perfect fit,being so versatile.However, if the cost is too high to trade up,then taking Glen Dorsey or Sedric Ellis(stock rising) if he happens to be there would be good. Glen Dorsey stock is falling because of past injury problems arising.
By BnOPanther
February 28, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
Jimmy, you just called your guys quitters. Another reason I don’t want to move up to get Gholston then. I like b-boy and Doug’s take. I would be happy with either one of those guys but I have a feeling White will be very good.
By b-boy
February 28, 2008 5:30 AM | Link to this
how about kenny phillips from the U… Iam tried of seeing tight-ends eating us up in the middle, or wherever. iam not a hug fan Madieu Williams, or Marvin White(just Yet). Ithink he would be better if we keep the 9th pick
By b-boy
February 28, 2008 5:30 AM | Link to this
how about kenny phillips from the U… Iam tried of seeing tight-ends eating us up in the middle, or wherever. iam not a hug fan Madieu Williams, or Marvin White(just Yet). Ithink he would be better if we keep the 9th pick
By Jimmy
February 27, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this
hey bnOPanther, big ten is just as fast, ohio state though, is unaccustomed to losing their games so they cant keep the morale up after they start losing
By It dont matter
February 27, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this
Nothing the Bengals could, would or should do matters. This is an inept organization that has no plan or desire to be a winner. Mike Brown looks to make a profit for his family and he is satisfied with 8-8 seasons. I have had enough. I have invested time, money and passion for the last 20 yrs. in this loser and im done. So go ahead and plan trades, plan draft picks…It doesnt matter. Mike Brown is a idiot who takes your $ and laughs all the way to the bank.
By doug
February 27, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this
Why dont we just sit at 9 and take Keith Rivers. USC has a great tradition at linebacker. He is a high character player. To move up were going to have to put together a package when Gholston is just as big of a risk as any player in the draft. In the perfect world Sedrick Ellis slips but Rivers would be a great pick.
By BnOPanther
February 27, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
Watch other conferences play once in a while and you will see the other BCS schools are faster, top to bottom then the Big Ten. Do you really think I can’t read the numbers. Vern is faster than Harv, it’s domcumented. But did you see the LSU and Florida DL against the OSU O-Line in the last two title games. No you didn’t because they were by you before the Bucks were out of their stances. FYI, bad plays and poor execution = not enough speed most of the time.
By Steve Caskey
February 27, 2008 1:05 AM | Link to this
If the Bengals would like to move up. Consider the relationship of Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis. A good one, and, also consider that the Chiefs are in desperate need of an offense. Chad Johnson wants out. We need someone to catch the ball besides Tony Gonzalez and Dywane Bowe. 4th rounders seem to be the going rate for top recievers that are a pain in the a*s. So, Chad Johnson and your 1st rounder should work out just fine.
By Rich
February 26, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Chalk up the Ki-Jana fiasco to bad luck….The Bengals organization has had more than its share of bad luck….Fix the defense for once and lets get some balance on both sides of the ball…We cannot draft an offensive player with the first pick….We have a new D-coordinator and LB’s coach, lets get them some players to work with via the draft and free agency….Been a Bengals fan for over 25 yrs living in NJ…Will not give up on this team…our time is now
By Rich
February 26, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this
I say definitely move into the top 5…Can we for once be aggressive and take the guy we want rather than hoping he falls to us…Last year i believe we would have taken David Harris (LB from Mich.) in the 2nd round only to have the Jets trade and pick him a few spots before us…Get into the top and hopefully we can Gholston…If not him, Sedrick Ellis…Make this happen…The only time I remember us trading up was to take Ki-Jana Carter in 1995 and we know how that turned out..
By olbuzz
February 26, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
I love Vern but… Dig this…. the Bengs pull the stunner again and take the next La. Tomlinson…. Jonathon Stewart Oregon…235 speed & vision at TB. If they don’t someone else gets the steal of the draft!!!
By Todd Charske
February 26, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
Some of the most irrational person on this blog. To say a 4.67 - 40 Big Ten guy is slower then a 4.8 SEC guy has to be the silliest thing I’ve heard in a long time. I guess it shows how the “main stream media” to use a Rush term can effect to shallow mind. th3se guys probably vote Democratic and love the Muslim also I’m guessing. Hello 9-11. Hello did you even see the title game? It wasn’t speed it was bad plays. Remember NFL combines are Individual not conferenc Todd Charske OSU 1994
By Done with the Bengals
February 26, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
The Bengals will not move up in the draft because the whole organization is a joke, starting with Mike Brown. This is the guy who refused all of the Saints draft picks so he could get Akili Smith. Last time they traded down(2004) they let St.Louis pick ahead of them & they took Steven Jackson. The Bengals took Chris Perry. Gholston is a helluva athlete but did disappear at times last year. As a OSU fan I hope the Bengals dont draft him so he can go somewhere and have a productive career.
By John
February 26, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this
Wow! It is clear not too many people leaving comments here have seen Vernon Gholston play or know anything about him whatsoever. He is, by far, the most versatile player in the draft this year, as well as one of the best DEs in college football. And he was only a junior!! He can play any position on defense. He has the strength to match any O-lineman and the speed to keep up in the secondary. But it’s still the Bengals we’re talking about, they need A LOT…starting with a new head coach!!
By osufan
February 26, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
So obviously speed is not an issue, although many ignorant people still believe the SEC superior speed theory. When a team is out executed then yes they will look slow, but the speed is not an issue. Also, Vernon has a crystal clear reputation at Ohio State and there have not been any alcohol issues with him so Boxter keep trying.
By osufan
February 26, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this
Gholston combine results: 40: 4.67 Bench: 225 37 times tied for combine best Vertical: 35.5 20 yard shuttle: 4.40
Harvey: 40: didn’t run Bench: 31 Vertical: no jump 20 yard shuttle: 4.36
These results are better than Sedrick Ellis at every event and better than Chris Long (besides 20 yd. shuttle) as well, who some were picking to go as the top spot in the draft. Vernon also set the Ohio State single season sack record with 14, besting Mike Vrabel by 1, and I think he has turned out good.
By Raul
February 26, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this
BOXTER YOUR AN IDIOT RETARD!!!!!!!!
By boxter
February 26, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this
Bringing in any OSU thugs will help this team. Maybe he & Chris Perry can stay drunk all the time. He’s a perfect fit.
By BnOPanther
February 26, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this
Why would this even be a topic for discussion? No one is worth moving up to get this year. Harvey from Florida will be there at 9 and I like SEC guys much better than Big Ten guys. Give me speed and that’s what you get with SEC DE’s.
By Zane
February 26, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
This is not a simple question because there are so many question marks right now regarding this defense. Are we switching to a 3-4 or are we going to stay with the 4-3? That will have a big impact on who we draft. How many people on here are really going to be objective when it come to Ohio State Players…really? I love OSU and wish nothing but the best for all the guys coming out, and I would LOVE to pick Vernon Gholston….but as someone already said, if we are going to move up pick Ellis!
By Jacob
February 26, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
Why are you fools comparing him to Dan Wilkinson. Look at all the defensive studs that are in the NFL that played on “The OSU” defenses. The list is huge much bigger than defensive flops, If you are going to compare him to somebody i’d say Will Smith. He is faster, stronger, and more versatile than smith was and I’d say smith is anything but a flop. Now with that said I hope bengals do not go get him. GO BROWNS!!!!!!!!!
By Mark
February 26, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this
If we can move up, why not go for what we REALLY need, a DT?? I mean don’t get me wrong, I love Gholston and all of the other DE’s, but we have a couple of them already. If Sedrick Ellis is available, we have to get him because Byron Robinson IS NOT gettin the job done
By MO MAN
February 26, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this
They should go after Gholston and pay him whatever he ask for. They need defensive lineman or linebackers in the worse way. The Bengals management need to step up to the plate and pay to get the better athletes to make them real contenders and not pretend ones. Also, they would be better off letting Justin Smith go free agent, to free up some salary for Gholston
By Bob540
February 26, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
If the Bengals had a solid defense already, I’d be in favor of their trading up to get Gholstin. But, the Bengals have a bad defense, and one guy isn’t going to make the difference. If it was one guy, I’d rather have a stud D-tackle (a la Dorsey, but he’ll be gone) than a 266 lbs. “tweener”. I’d prefer the Bengals work to re-sign Smith, & trade the 9th pick to get a lower one and a second or third round pick. The Bengals need numbers but are notoriously bad at assessing talent.
By dave
February 26, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
Concidering the past performances of Draft Day in this organization, it doesn’t really matter who they draft, it will backfire in their face. I’d try to swap Chad Johnson and Marvin Lewis for a ‘75 Vega Wagon if it has low miles!!
By Frank
February 26, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this
Absolutely not! The Sporting News War Room, which does a great job with evaluations, rates Gholston in the second round of its current mock draft because of inconsistent effort (speaking of Dan Wilkinson…). The last thing the Bengals need is another Justin Smith type who produces more in workouts than on the field. Sedrick Ellis all the way.
By Gary Matney
February 26, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
The Bengals should wait and see if he drops Gholston will be a good pro but does anyone remember that Dan Wilkinson was a can’t miss guy.
By Andy
February 26, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
I think it would be the best of interests for the Bengals to pursue Gholston. He is the second best defensive linemen in the draft and the Bengals could use his explosiveness. Gholston is very quick and big, so we could get both if we got him. I could envision a Robert Geathers and Gholston pass rush that was nasty. Gholston reminds me of a guy named Dwight Freeney who proved to be quite an asset to the Colts organization. The Bengals need to try and get him.
By Drew
February 26, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
They should move up to attain Gholston. They will have extra supplemental picks based on the free agents they lost last year. Plus they are in good shape with cap space. The bengals should revamp their whole defense.
By Jonah
February 26, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this
I’m normally in favor of trading down in the draft, and avoiding the tremendous risk that comes with top 10 picks. However, I find myself buying into the hype this time, and I would be completely in favor of Cinci trading up to secure Gholston in the draft. This guy could be a sorely needed fierce pass rusher for us. He demonstrated his ability to beat the best, in scoring a sack agains Long in the UM game. MSG TO MIKE BROWN - DO WHAT YOU NEED TO IN ORDER TO GET THIS GUY!!!! WHO-DEY!