The Raiders, I mean Al Davis, love combine freaks. While some other writers and fans jump on Darren McFadden for the Raiders pick, excuse me while I throw out the punch that some of you are passing along.
There's no sugar coating it. Vernon Gholston is exactly what we need. This man, or beast, will vault the Raiders' defense to that level that we havent seen in over 25 years, punishing whoever holds the ball.
Not since the mid-'80s have we completely devasated ball carriers on every play. Yes, we had some success in 2002, but we all remember Alstott and Pittman were not scared to run the ball against us.
The way the defense is lined up now, if either Derrick Burgess or Jay Richardson get hurt, we have no true defensive ends to fill in. Richardson isn't proven at all and because of Kevin Carter returning to Tampa, we are in dire need of a dominant defensive end.
We all know Burgess isn't the best against the run, but possibly that may be because he's always double teamed now. His last year in Philadelphia and his first year in Oakland, he was a force in the backfield.
Some of you love McFadden's measureables, especially his 4.33 forty time. Well here's something to think about:
*6-4, 262 lbs
*4.56 forty yard dash
*455 lb bench press and also squatting 405 lbs...20times!
*37 reps at 225 lbs
*42 in. vertical jump
At his height and weight, those numbers are staggering. All of those are better than Chris Long's numbers.
Remember now, Burgess always lines up against the opposing teams right tackle, which means he isn't coming from the quarterbacks blind spot, he's coming head on. With Gholston coming off of the opposite edge, it creates a death-trap bookend. Especially with the corners locked on so the line can force numerous "coverage sacks".
For those of you with concern to the run defense, I've already got this covered (pun intended). Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall can cover wide-outs securely. Anyone who has questions about Hall's ability or coverage wasn't thinking about 2008. In 2008, Asomugha will cover the opposing teams "number one" receiver. Which in some cases, was what Hall had problems with. Now Hall only has to cover the "number two" receiver. I know he can do that. What does this have to do with the run defense might you ask?
With the corners locked down and Huff returning to his true position, this gives the Raiders the ability to put eight men in the box. Gibril Wilson will be that enforcer we were lacking. With Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard stepping up their game each year, eight men in the box should keep runners under 100 yards each game.
It's all about gap control. Vernon Gholston is a very good run stuffing defensive end. With his athleticism, it will be hard for opposing teams to double team anyone on our line. With a front four consisting of Burgess, Sands, Kelly, and Gholston, it will be tough for anyone to pinpoint a weak spot to double team, keep in mind that having to double team anyone on the front four lets our linebackers have "free range" to roam the field, especially the backfield. Those eight men in the box will get the job done.
Vernon Gholston posseses the speed and power to go against the games best offensive lineman: left tackles. No one else in the draft has that ability to dominate from that position like he does, and that just might be the missing piece to propel our defense back to the days where people will not want to have the football in their hands on offense.
We need this warrior.
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5 months ago
We don't need no bum AZZ gholston. He is not Elite
5 months ago
well done Ryan...and what a great rebuttal by "Ron." Yeah.
5 months ago
gholston looked average at times last year for lame state buckeyes.
5 months ago
gholston would be a beast and he can play end or rush lb in 3-4 scheme but i have heard rumors that if the phins dont trade down that they may be looking at him at 1 overall they were at his proday and have reportedly scheduled private workout sessions with gholston so the raiders may not even get a chance to get him
5 months ago
i want Vernon Gholston
4 months ago
Don't listen to any fools who don't want Gholston. He is the guy this team needs. But to be honest I will take any of the D-linemen. Dorsey, Ellis or Long would not be bad either, just no offensive players. The man that will be the best however is the man you are talking about.
Gho Raiders
4 months ago
Nice comment Ron(fool) i agree we take d line help GHO or DORSEY are my first choice hopefully Big Al canp ass on RunDMC and make this young defense a force for awhile....RDRFAN
4 months ago
I live in Ohio right smack dab middle of Buckeye Nation, I saw Vernon Ghoulston play an entire 3 year span at Ohio State. He had 2 excellent games against Michigan THATS IT! I see so many overated Ohio State players come out of Columbus. hmm lets , see Andy Katzenmoyer, David Boston, Joe Jermaine, and I don't even need to mention Maurice Clarrette. I will agree that Aj Hawk is pretty bad ass, but I wouldn't jump on Ghoulston's bandwagon. Chris Long came on the scene his junior year at Virginia and helped anchor his teams defense , and helped guide them to a 9-4 record. in all likelyhood Chris Long will be gone at the # 4 pick and the only other pick I would make is for Jake Long, or I would trade down to address more needs in later rounds. You and I both know that Al will probably pick Darren Mcfadden, but we both know that running back is not need for the Raiders, especially the lack of depth at offensive line, so there are many holes to fill on Oakland's squad. I pray to the football gods that Chris Long lands in our laps at the #4 spot but thats wishful thinking, and I will even admit landing Darren Mcfadden wouldn't be so bad either. It doesn't matter what the Raiders do , the media and the league will figure out how to spew garbage and talk trash. Al has dumped alot of cash thus far in free agency, so Iam hoping that it makes an immediate impact out on the field. Come September we should know if it pays off.
4 months ago
I live in Ohio right smack dab middle of Buckeye Nation, I saw Vernon Ghoulston play an entire 3 year span at Ohio State. He had 2 excellent games against Michigan THATS IT! I see so many overated Ohio State players come out of Columbus. hmm lets , see Andy Katzenmoyer, David Boston, Joe Jermaine, and I don't even need to mention Maurice Clarrette. I will agree that Aj Hawk is pretty bad ass, but I wouldn't jump on Ghoulston's bandwagon. Chris Long came on the scene his junior year at Virginia and helped anchor his teams defense , and helped guide them to a 9-4 record. in all likelyhood Chris Long will be gone at the # 4 pick and the only other pick I would make is for Jake Long, or I would trade down to address more needs in later rounds. You and I both know that Al will probably pick Darren Mcfadden, but we both know that running back is not need for the Raiders, especially the lack of depth at offensive line, so there are many holes to fill on Oakland's squad. I pray to the football gods that Chris Long lands in our laps at the #4 spot but thats wishful thinking, and I will even admit landing Darren Mcfadden wouldn't be so bad either. It doesn't matter what the Raiders do , the media and the league will figure out how to spew garbage and talk trash. Al has dumped alot of cash thus far in free agency, so Iam hoping that it makes an immediate impact out on the field. Come September we should know if it pays off.
4 months ago
You're so familiar with Gholston, watching him for three years. Is that why you spelled his name wrong? Maybe he gets up for the big games, Wisconsin, Michigan. Luckily, every game is big in the NFL.
4 months ago
I would take Chris Long over Gholston, because of his production, but Gholston has a high ceiling and he seems like a likely Raider type- a physical specimen, great combine. It also fits and area of need...so I guess I'm for it. I figure Raiders draft board:
1. Chris Long
2. Glenn Dorsey
3. Vernon Gholston
4. Run DMC
5. Jake Long
6. Sedrick Ellis
7. Ryan Clady
8. Chris Williams
9. Keith Rivers
10. Rashard Mendenhall
4 months ago
I spelled his name wrong? so what. If he was a consistant player maybe I would have cared to spell it right. Where was GHOLSTON during the LSU game? ..I thought so. In ending GO BLUE !
from 4 months ago
Actually, he did show up for the LSU game. He was actually decent on defense. It was not his greatest game, but he was still good. I live in Ohio too, and I watch every Buckeyes game. He has been good the whole year, if anything, he has actually been underrated.
4 months ago
You can't depend on a DE to stop the run. The successful teams against the run were teams that had DTs and NTs that racked up 60 + tackles. This is because DTS and NTs take away runs up the middle. DEs disrupt plays stretched out to the left and right (and sack the quarterback). Why run to the left or right when you can make big gains up the middle? Teams have had tremendous success aginst the Raiders by running up the middle. Also, just because you have a fat guy lining up in the interior does not mean he will stop the run. Terdell Sands got worked like a 9 to 5 last season. His presence was almost irrelevant. Gerrard Warren was not any better. Tommy Kelly is our only true run stopper. Notice that after he went down our run defense was hopeless. Either pick up a proven run stopper in free agency or draft one. If he is not available in the draft, go with the best available player (ie. Darren McFadden). You cannot depend on a DE to stop the run.
4 months ago
Nice comments everyone. Just wanna clarify some things.
First, everyone knows you cannot depend on a DE to stop the run and be that anchor, but he must control his part of the line and control his gaps.
Anonymous talking about the NT and DT...Sands might not ever get 60+ tackles, but its because like ever other mammoth, he is double teamed and most importantly, taking up blockers so other people, mainly linebackers, can have free range on the ball carrier. As i said before, ITS ALL ABOUT GAP CONTROL.
As for Tommy Kelly and the run defense, STATISTICALLY, then run defense was WORSE in the first 7 games in the season then the last 9 games. As we all know, Kelly played the first 7 games and thats it
I dont think anything is wrong with Chris Long at all, i just remember the last person we drafted who they said would be great because of a "high motor"...tyler brayton...if you look at chris longs tapes, the only thing that worries me is that everytime he gets near the ball, the qb was holding it for about 3.5 to 4.5 seconds....the nfl average for a qb holding the ball is 2.7 seconds.
Thanks for the comments! Keep'em up
4 months ago
The last two comments regarding the DE and DT/NT positions are incorrect. Its just like saying that DeAngelo HAll a CB can't help the run. We all know that by him covering the WO it allows the safties to be utilized in many different schemes like blitzing & run support. So to does an effective DE who can get to the QB and disrupt the timing of the pass play and/or take up two blockers. Either way it this simple, if anyone of the front four can take up two blockers it would allow for one on ones for Burgess, Kelly & company to do what they do best and thats beat there man. The best scenario for this would come from a DT(Sands position). So back to the point if one of our front four can command a double team it would leave one on ones and any one of three LB and two Safeties to plug the gaps successfully. Having said this its still up to the DC Rob Ryan to be the smarter chest player and know when to play the run vs the pass and when to blitz and when to play the nickel or dime. IMHO I still believe that Dorsey is the best pick. Yes we need DE's but remember Kelly can play the position also with our current DT's there is no one who dominates the middle like I think Dorsey can. I too think it would be nostalgic to see C. Long in S&B but think Gholston like someone else said has a higher ceiling. If there is a trade up front in the top three then it would be for McFadden, in which case I would be very happy with any of Gholston,Long & Dorsey. If not and McFadden is there I would take him as he would take a lot of pressure of JR. I don't hold Ellis to the same light as the prior mentioned three players. It would also make great sense to pick up J.Long if he is on the board but I'm still Gallery shocked and would be very nervous to pull the trigger there again.
LARaider70
4 months ago
All this speculation is fun and gives us something to chat about. I love all those mock drafts about who the Raiders are going to pick. There's only one problem, no one ever knows what Mr. Davis is thinking. HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!
4 months ago
from Re to Le how bout kelly, sands, dorsey, burgess?
with morrison/howard behind them while hall, aso, and huff man the secondary. wilson can help in run support
4 months ago
IF CRIS LONG IS STILL THERE AT 4... HE'S A RAIDER, PERIOD, DONE, END OF STORY!!!
from 4 months ago
you think?? we all know this bright young lad.... too bad he will be gone
4 months ago
Al might be still living in the past. we must know that it is his team sink or swim. in saying that we dont know what the hell is going to happen. but we do know one thing! something will happen! soon!
4 months ago
THE TOP 5 ARE ALL GREAT PICKS!
THIS DRAFT SCREAMS DEPTH.
DALLAS OFFERED MIAMI 2 1ST ROUNDERS ANOTHER MID PICK 3 OR 4 AND MARION BARBER.
I SAY WE CAN GET 2 REALLY GOOD PLAYERS AT DALLAS'S SPOTS LATER PLUS BARBER AND INSTEAD OF THE 3RD OR 4TH RECENTLY RESIGNED FLOZEL THE HOTEL ADAMS!
4 months ago
WITH THAT PACKAGE AND SOMEONE THAT CAN BLACK FOR OUR FRANCHISE QB I'M ALL IN!
2 PROBOWLER 2 1ST ROUNDERS FOR RUN DMC!
ALL DAY AND TWICE ON SATURDAY!
4 months ago
WITH THAT PACKAGE AND SOMEONE THAT CAN BLOCK FOR OUR FRANCHISE QB I'M ALL IN!
2 PROBOWLERS 2 1ST ROUNDERS FOR RUN DMC!
ALL DAY AND TWICE ON SATURDAY!
DRAFT DAY!
4 months ago
gholsten is my #1 choice if he is gone we have to go with mcfadden.no one else in the draft would have the impact on or team as these two guys.we cant go wrong with either one of them.dorsey would be ok but i think we can get the big run stuffing dt we need in the 3rd or 4th rd. his name is frank ocan from texas.
4 months ago
Hall will have to cover the other teams #1 corner.. Raider corners do not switch sides. they play right or left corner..Nam plays the right side. it ATL Hall was mostly on the Left, I would guess they would maintain those sides(Nam has played the right almost every down since he started cause woodson was on the left).. VG would be a very good pick. As would GD, SE, or CL. however alot of money has been spent on the Def. and now we need help on the Off. the best bet is to trade down. but lets assume we cant. my choice would be to go with DMC. he gives us more options than any def player. We could the trade Rhodes, Fabe, STu and Jordan( say what you want about jordan but he does have some value! he led the nfl in rushing untill his injury). with those four players(and the usal raiders wheelin and dealin) we could get back into the first day. That may not be poss if we go def in the first round....
4 months ago
I don't care who Al picks in the 1st round. It'll be hard for him to mess it up with the talent at the top 5
of the draft. All I'm saying is that if Al doesn't find a way to get Joe "Red" Bryant (DT) from Texas A&M
(see his NFL.com combine profile link here) http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/red-bryant?id=200
in the late 1st, early 2nd round, then it won't matter who he picks at #4. Because if he don't get "Red",
we'll all (Raider Nation) get a front row seat to watch LT, LJ and whoever is running the ball for Denver
gain 100+ yards and multiple touchdowns and milk the clock on the way to frustrating AFC West
Division L's like we've witnessed time and time again during the last 5 years.
So Al, pick whoever you want or trade down with the first pick, I really don't care. But if you don't
get "Red", then the pass defense won't matter, just like it didn't matter when they led the league in
pass defense 2 years ago and had the worst record in the league. Mark my words, "Red" will be the next Jamal Williams / Casey Hampton. He's that good folks.
PEACE OUT!
4 months ago
Gholston needs to be test for steroids. Just look at this arm, they define steroids. Jose Conseco would have a great time writing a book about this man, and the rest of the game of football which has been tarnished by the steroids.
from 4 months ago
Football tarnished by steroids? I bet you could count with your hands how many NFL players you know for sure used steroids. it's not at that point yet.
Anyway, while Vernon Gholston is an absolute monster, how could the Raiders pass up on Darren McFadden? He's another Adrian Peterson type back and he's going to do big things. I'm a jets fan and if the Raiders pass on him I will be extremely happy.
4 months ago
Great read. Nice to read other opinions that make sense. I dont see Burgess coming back next year and Richardson is unproven.
I am more excited to see BUSH run that drafting McFadden. A lot of this hype is because of Adrian Peterson. Draft is hit and miss- thats why you must draft for need!
4 months ago
Eric, Check out my new article on Michael Bush...i think you'd appreciate it....as for nick, mcfadden and peterson are 2 completely different types of rushing..mcfadden is all show and no go and peterson is a bruiser...anyways fellow Raider fans thanx for the comments and heres my new article...
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/14906
from 4 months ago
peterson's a bruiser? What? He's one of the biggest breakaway backs in the league- what mcfadden will be. They are very similar, peterson is not that much bigger than mcfadden is.
4 months ago
Nice article. I love the back and forth comments about the elite players available in the draft. Gholston reminds me a lot of Jason Taylor. Freakishly quick and strong and will command attention everytime he lines up. I think his pro career will be remembered unlike some of those mentioned above.
4 months ago
I love that we are picking 4th. So many options.
4 months ago
Hopefully im still right with the Gholston pick instead of mcfadden...but the RAIDERS SIGNING DE KALIMBA EDWARDS DOES NOT HELP MY CASE
4 months ago
You are Right as I said in another post Mc Fadden is basically another headcase the Raiders do not need...
And Gholston will grow to be a very productive player who has improved his size and speed these last
few months...
4 months ago
I see that GHOLSTON'S stock is dropping like a stone. Everyone wanted to jump up and down and loudly rant about how much of a stud he is, well I posted days earlier that interest in him was going to fade. I see people have finally watched the game film on him that I have witnessed the last 3 years residing in OHIO. People have found out he is way overhyped and not that strong. If people are judging him by his bench press at the combine or his 40 time were not paying attention to his game film. Good games against Michigan and Wisconson do not rightfully place him as a top 5 pick. I also notice that we have signed Kalimba Edwards. This tells me we are in the bird seat to land Mcfadden, Dorsey, or make one hell of a sweet deal to aquire more picks in later rounds. I still hope that if Chris Long is there at #4 we need to grab him and not look back. Glenn Dorsey is also looming large for us. This years draft is gonna be real interesting, can't wait to hear the talking heads ridicule us because Iam sensing something big is about to transpire and the tides are going to turn our way
4 months ago
I see that GHOLSTON'S stock is dropping like a stone. Everyone wanted to jump up and down and loudly rant about how much of a stud he is, well I posted days earlier that interest in him was going to fade. I see people have finally watched the game film on him that I have witnessed the last 3 years residing in OHIO. People have found out he is way overhyped and not that strong. If people are judging him by his bench press at the combine or his 40 time were not paying attention to his game film. Good games against Michigan and Wisconson do not rightfully place him as a top 5 pick. I also notice that we have signed Kalimba Edwards. This tells me we are in the bird seat to land Mcfadden, Dorsey, or make one hell of a sweet deal to aquire more picks in later rounds. I still hope that if Chris Long is there at #4 we need to grab him and not look back. Glenn Dorsey is also looming large for us. This years draft is gonna be real interesting, can't wait to hear the talking heads ridicule us because Iam sensing something big is about to transpire and the tides are going to turn our way
4 months ago
I Can See The Raiders Gettin Gholston and even though we signed Kalimba Edwards we can use him as a Linebacker.
Now Doesnt Morrison,Howard,Gholston sound scary....
in the later rounds we could use those picks for both sides of the line and a wide out like Marcus Monk or Adarius Bowman In The 5th or 6th.
4 months ago
No!!!! We don't want Adarius Bowman. He just got busted for having weed. Fuck him. He screwed his career up before it even started. We don't need that kind of bull shit on our team. Some of these athletes are really fuckin' stupid. I'd give my left nut to be in their shoes and play in the NFL if I had any actual football talent(which I don't). They fuck there careers up to get high on some weed. IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 months ago
"With a front four consisting of Burgess, Sands, Kelly, and Gholston, it will be tough for anyone to pinpoint a weak spot to double team"
No possible way in hell you typed this with a straight face.
from 4 months ago
Well, unless you meant that they'd have a hard time choosing whcih weakness to attack first. Then you'd be onto something.
4 months ago
I concur. Unless you're going to put FIVE defensive lineman on the line of scrimmage... then you need a DT. Period.
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