NFL: Former Top 10 Pick Vernon Gholston Released by Jets After 3 Seasons

After three disappointing seasons, former Ohio State Buckeye standout Vernon Gholston was released by the New York Jets.

Gholston, the sixth overall pick of the 2008 National Football League Draft, never panned out with the Jets. In three full seasons, Gholston recorded 42 total tackles, 24 of them solo. While at Ohio State, Gholston was known for his pass rushing skills. In 34 total games with Ohio State, Gholston recorded 22.5 sacks, in the NFL, zero.

Coming off a tremendous 2007 season at Ohio State in which he was named to the All-Big Ten first team as well as the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, Gholston shot up the draft boards where he was considered to be a "protoype pass rusher". His highlight reel included an inside bull rush blow by against Michigan tackle Jake Long as well as a sack against the eventual No.1 overall pick in 2008.

After a disappointing 2007 season in which they finished 24th in the league in QB sacks, the New York Jets used the No. 6 overall pick on Gholston, who in just a little over two seasons, ranked 5th overall in Ohio State University in sacks.

Gholston, who was expected to be the pass rushing linebacker on the Jets 3-4 defense, saw limited playing time as rookie and little by little, got lost in the shuffle of the linebacker deep Jets.

Schemes were even drawn up to try and get Gholston involved, but all failed. In the end, Gholston never played in a single Jets playoff game, never recorded a sack, and ultimately, never panned out as the sixth overall pick.