Vernon Gholston

[Ram Mar Ram]

He didnt play upto his top billing, but he is a great athlete and some blame can be dumped on NY Jets, they tried to convert him to OLB, didnt work out, Moved him back to the line, and and really stunted his potential.

He could be a bust . no doubt about it. but that cant be determined until he's played in a stable role on a 4-3 defense, for which he excelled. the 3-4 defense obviously wasnt a fit and the Jets knew it only using him sparingly this year.

I think you can fill a need on the Line, and at worst add decent depth, but id put my money on him doing well if he gets put on a 4-3 defense where they say from day 1, your place is DE, with some good coaching and a little polish. Would be a bargain.

[Dr. Defense]

I wouldn't be opposed to signing him to a cheap one year deal. Put him on the line and see what happens. Either he excels and we can give him an extension, or at worst he is TERRIBLE and just becomes a camp body. Happy medium is he becomes a situational/rotational player

[TekeRam]

No... just... no.

I assume that you didn't follow pay attention to him before the draft at all, did you? In Ohio State's defense, he played a hybrid role, playing both DE AND OLB in rush capacities. The ONLY one to blame for how crappy Gholston is, is Gholston. Rex Ryan made it his personal mission to make him not a bust, and even he couldn't trust him enough to get him on the field. Gholston is just another college star who can't cut it when he plays actual men and not boys.

I'm just happy we picked the CORRECT OSU linebacker, Laurinaitis, and not Gholston. I wouldn't pay him to shine my shoe at this point.

[general counsel]

He is, at this point of his career, a bust of biblical magnitude. He was a top 10 pick and has done absolutely nothing. The jets may indeed bear some of that responsibility, but his performance, or lack thereof, speaks for itself. For minimum money, why not take a look if spags thinks he can make something out of the guy? However, i doubt he winds up on our team. Rex Ryan is awfully good with defensive guys and he couldnt get anything out of him.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Goldenfleece]

You know, I think a pass rusher going 3 years without a sack can safely be called a bust. Sure, it's hard to argue against a minimal, one year contract, but at this point, I don't think there's any real evidence to suggest that he would suddenly start performing if he were in a different system.

[Shan the Ram Man]

Bring him in for League minimum. The Rams have nothing to loose.
If he doesn't show he can play, cut him before season. He might push last years rookies to be better.
The Rams will have second year players in George Selvie & Eugene Sims.

[berg8309]

Has yet to record one single sack at any point in any game of his entire NFL career, despite having the sole job of sacking the quarterback....Not even league minimum, just say no.

Gholston was a freak at the combine, which is why people were drooling over him, and many said the Rams should have taken him instead of that waste Chris Long. Let him be a lesson that measurables in the combine do not make a great football player, ever. Football players make great football players.

[rob6465]

He didnt play upto his top billing, but he is a great athlete and some blame can be dumped on NY Jets, they tried to convert him to OLB, didnt work out, Moved him back to the line, and and really stunted his potential.

He could be a bust . no doubt about it. but that cant be determined until he's played in a stable role on a 4-3 defense, for which he excelled. the 3-4 defense obviously wasnt a fit and the Jets knew it only using him sparingly this year.

I think you can fill a need on the Line, and at worst add decent depth, but id put my money on him doing well if he gets put on a 4-3 defense where they say from day 1, your place is DE, with some good coaching and a little polish. Would be a bargain.

I agree with you. I've always liked him but felt he was being misused and with Spags, he'll do great.

[harrydog]

He certainly has the physical ability to be a good player in the NFL. He was a sack machine in college and was one of only two players to get a sack against Jake Long. I think his work ethic was questioned however.
It's baffling to me how some players can be so successful in college and complete busts in the NFL. It must be more of a mental/motivational thing rather than physical.
I think it's unlikely he'll turn it around in any significant way and don't think it would be worthwhile for the Rams to give him an opportunity, but you know some team will.

[Goldenfleece]

He certainly has the physical ability to be a good player in the NFL. He was a sack machine in college and was one of only two players to get a sack against Jake Long. I think his work ethic was questioned however.
It's baffling to me how some players can be so successful in college and complete busts in the NFL. It must be more of a mental/motivational thing rather than physical.
I think it's unlikely he'll turn it around in any significant way and don't think it would be worthwhile for the Rams to give him an opportunity, but you know some team will.

Some would argue it's an issue of the level of competition:

There are 120 schools in NCAA Division I football with some 85 scholarship spots each, dividing up the country's best football players within a 3-4 year age range, excepting those who departed for the NFL as underclassmen.

There are 32 teams in the NFL with 53 openings on each roster, dividing up the best players to come out in the last 10-15 years.

[Harry S. Truman]

You know, I think a pass rusher going 3 years without a sack can safely be called a bust. Sure, it's hard to argue against a minimal, one year contract, but at this point, I don't think there's any real evidence to suggest that he would suddenly start performing if he were in a different system.

Especially when you consider he is in a pass rush heavy defense.

I am puzzled by what happened to him. He was damn near unblockable at times in college, made some pretty good offensive linemen (Jake Long and Joe Thomas) look like novices.. Yet, in the pros, he was barely out there.

[shower beers]

Especially when you consider he is in a pass rush heavy defense.

I am puzzled by what happened to him. He was damn near unblockable at times in college, made some pretty good offensive linemen (Jake Long and Joe Thomas) look like novices.. Yet, in the pros, he was barely out there.

As was I. I was fortunate enough to be attending school during his playing time and was able to witness the games in person. Like you said, he just seemed unstoppable at times. Some just have a tough time adjusting to the pros, keeping up the intensity after a big payday, etc...

I can't say with confidence that a change of scenery will do any good. But I guess someone will find out, as I can't imagine him falling out of the league completely.

[Torry Holt]

He is just an amazing athlete but not a real football player from what I read and saw on hard knocks. He does not seem to have great football IQ. I would like to give him a try but i'm not really optimistic about his future in the league. Maybe playing DE in a 4-3 D could help him.

[sjacksonrules]

Has everyone forgot who our coach is?
Spags could turn a turd like gholston make him a gem and bring out what potential he has. Or at least that's what I think.

[Ram Mar Ram]

Has everyone forgot who our coach is?
Spags could turn a turd like gholston make him a gem and bring out what potential he has. Or at least that's what I think.

yes .. Spags ... master of alchemy ... (TTTT) Transforming Turds To Timands.