This is a hybrid defense, they have 3 down linemen as a base and change it up to a 4-3 depending on what looks the offense is giving them to avoid too many substitutions, or at least that's the way Mangini has explained it in pressers and they way things have looked so far the past couple of seasons. Plus, he should also be DE in nickel and dime sets, have had 4 down linemen plenty of times this season already.
Yep. I thought about the possibility of him losing weight to become faster. I don't know if that will actually increase his speed, but it makes sense. Right now, he just looks kind of clunky, which is maybe why he always reverts to a bull-rush. If he gains more speed and moves, I think he'll be dominant. As stated, the moves he can learn, but the speed may be contingent on more than just weight. I guess we'll see.
It could be that Gholston is really a 4-3............ just maybe he is playing in a 3-4 that isn't the right system for him just like Pace and Thomas were forced to play in a 4-3 system that was bad for them.
I'm willing to give Gholston a chance. I saw him go through drills at Hofstra and he was no more than 10 yards in front of me. A VERY agile man for a guy his size. I can't comment on the speed on kickoffs as I didn't really watch him. I will say though that I really had hope to see a little more explosion on his first step. Giving up on him after five games with his having missed OTAs (Thanks OSU...),come to camp late and changed positions is silly.
We always pick the workout wonders and get burned. I just widsh we didn't spend a top ten pick on them. He is a bust. I live in Ohio and everyone here says he was way over rated.
Can we give the guy a chance before we bury him? Like others have said, the guys in front of Gholston are playing great, so for now, we have time to let him learn.
True enough, but if he was a dedicated DE he could bulk up more. Before the draft he said he would bulk up if made a DE.
1. How is "workout warrior" a bad thing when "all he did" was set the Ohio State record for sacks (or w/e it was)? 2. Mario Williams seems to be doing fine. 3. Jevon Kearse did alright. 4. DeMarcus Ware. 5. Shawne Merriman. I could keep going...Chris Johnson seems to be doing OK for the Titans.
anyone who is calling him a bust this early in his career is a damn idiot and should convert to being a dolphins fan.
Of the top ten draft picks, 7 were defensive players; C. Long (StL) 19 tackles, 2 sacks Dorsey (KC)15 tackles Ellis (NO) 9 tackles, 1 sack Harvey (JAX)5 tackles, 0 sacks, 1 Int Rivers (Cin) 37 tackles, 0 sacks, 1 Int, 1 FF Mayo (NE) 34 tackles, 0 sacks Of the offensive players, J.Long (Mia) Starting LT McFadden (Oak) 59 carries, 302 yds (one 100+ yard game) Avg. 5.1 ypc, 1 TD, 2 fumbles M.Ryan (ATL) 1164 passing yards, 5 TDs, 3 ints All of these players have had to adjust to the Pro game and are contributing NOW. (Although Harvey's stats are light, he was the last first round pick to be signed-Just made it to last pre-season game.) Some in positions traditionally harder to learn than OLB. For the money spent, shouldn't a top ten pick make an immediate contribution to the team ?
^ In Gholston's only defense, he is the only top 10 pick who didn't need to start right away. The other 9 needed to start immediately for their teams, because of the lack of talent there. I have a lot of philosophies in my head about him right now, but I don't know which one to go with.... I think that next year he will make an impact... I think he'd be D'Brick-esque if he were to start right away - supporters against haters fighting about his progress. Or he may Bryan Thomas is career, which is fine as long as there is someone ahead of him thriving like J. Abe did before Thomas.
Calling him a bust after the first 5 weeks of his career is beyond stupid. The guy is learning a new position, give him a break. Considering what Tangini has done in the draft in only three years, I will take their word on Gholston. I loved the pick then, and I still love the pick.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE2y_ypR9wQ[/YOUTUBE] I realize it's a highlight reel and blah blah blah, but he's really treated like a talentless slob. People have taken "a little stiff" and turned it into "zomg he can't play OLB in a 3-4." No. Thats not how it works, and it never will be how it works.
If the guys that are in front of him are playing lites out as U say then why did we need him in the 1st place when we could have gone out & gotten somebody that would hhave strenghten the team immediately? Do you think if he was a 5th or 6th round draft pick & not contributing as he is at this moment would IYHO still be on the roster?
Champ, you always offer these vague alternatives, like, "we could have gone out & gotten somebody that would hhave strenghten the team immediately." Yeah, no shit, man. At #6, Gholston made sense from a value perspective. He also made sense from a personnel perspective because we didn't really know how Thomas was going to perform this year. Having depth at OLB in the 3-4 is not a bad thing. I just don't see - aside from trading down - what other options there were at the time that made sense.
Champ, we are loading up on pass-rushers to counter the passing game of the Pats and Colts and some of the other high-powered aerial attacks in the league. They aren't just going for win-now, they are also trying to build for the future. And I think they are following the Giants' blueprint. In a 4-year span from 2003 to 2006, the NYGs drafted a DE on day one each year, even though they already had solid starters at the position and has holes elsewhere and at times were criticized for focusing on DE when the draft picks didn't immediately pan out. Nobody is criticizing them now.
