Thu 1 May 2008
This is not a joke….a post!
So something called the NFL draft took place this weekend. Thankfully, the Jets didn’t do anything too stupid.
Oh, you’re harsh Lucky you say! How could you say something like that?
Anyway, they got the guy they needed, Vernon Gholston, from the Ohio State University.
Gholston will be used as a pass rushing 3-4 linebacker in the Mangini scheme. It’s a pick that makes too much sense. The defense last year was just downright awful. Getting a guy like Gholston will help. He’s a physical speciman, chiseled out of stone like a hero from Greek mythology. Unfourtnately, that doesn’t mean too much in the NFL unless you know what to do with it.
The knock on Gholston is that he took plays off with the Buckeyes and his concentration isn’t always there. I don’t know about most people, but I find it frightening that scouts and experts are saying that Gholston doesn’t have that mental edge. Physical limitiations can be overcome….mental ones are destructive.
The Jets went Big Ten in their next pick, moving up back into the first round to take Dustin Keller from Purdue. The Jets track record with tight ends in the first round isn’t really good: Johnny Mitchell. Anthony Becht (ugh, what a nightmare he was) A first round pick for Doug Jolley. And even though he wasn’t a first round pick, Chris Baker, who’s constant whining and moaning is getting old. Chris, you’re not really that good…shut up.
Keller has big play ability and has been compared to a Ben Watson type of player. I’ll take that. Super athletic, in the Antonio Gates mode, giving defensive coordinators nightmares. If Keller can be used in a similar manner, it’s a home run of a pick.
Other picks of note: Erik Ainge, quarterback Tennessee. Had a decent college career and was coached by the same QB coach that coached Peyton and Eli Manning who compares him to those two. Provides competition and projects as a long term project.
Marcus Henry – another wideout. Really, a late round long term project. The wide receiver class this year wasn’t strong and the Jets passed on a few good ones, including Devin Thomas, DeSean Jackson, Mario Manningham, and Limas Sweed.
Overall, not a bad draft and the team did improve.
