Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft -- Pick #7 by the New England Patriots

by Chris Thorman on Mar 26, 2008 10:14 AM CDT in 2008 Draft Comment 11 comments

And with the #7 overall pick in the 2008 Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the New England Patriots select:

Ohio State DL Vernon Gholston

mikvogel with the pick.

The Patriots will choose (without the courtesy of a reacharound for the 49'ers idiot move last year) all around defensive freak Vernon Gholston.

Now I'm quite sure that the huddled masses will decry this move as insipid, idiotic, and downright foolish given the Patriots obvious need at CB since the departure of Asante Samuel and Randall Gay.

But I disagree... The Patriots secondary may seem depleted by the lack of big names, but there are currently 7 CBs on their roster, 5 with significant in-game experience. The Patriots don't succeed on D by the use of a shutdown corner- they succeed by pressuring the QB into poor decisions and bad passes. Their system has created the big names- and they've been just fine in the past to let those players leave for greener pastures as they reload more players from their roster. Need I remind you that the much-heralded Asante Samuel was a 4th round pick???

They have the hands-down best scouting department in the league and there's no way they use this pick to overpay a corner when they can invest in a physical specimen who'll help out their LB corps, excel as a pass rusher where Adalius Thomas did not last year, and who will make another unknown CB lots of money in the future when said CB leaves to cash in on the name he's built from the pressure Vernon brings every game.

1. Miami Dolphins - QB Matt Ryan
2. St. Louis Rams - OT Jake Long
3. Atlanta Falcons - DT Glenn Dorsey
4. Oakland Raiders - DE Chris Long
5. Kansas City Chiefs - DT Sedrick Ellis
6. New York Jets - RB Darren McFadden
7. New England Patriots - DL Vernon Gholston

On the clock: Baltimore Ravens (Ben)

Full list of AP mock draft participants

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Comments

I wouldn't be surprised by this

Most boards have the Pats taking Gholston.

by Chris Thorman on Mar 26, 2008 11:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Speciman

This guy could compete for Mr. Olympia.

by Lanier63 on Mar 26, 2008 12:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sam

Would we have any interest in Gholston? Like people have mentioned, he has rare athletic ability. I don't think we can count him out of our discussions of the Chiefs #5 pick. He could play Strong side LB, moving DJ back to Will where he played in college. I am certain Herm and Co. are going to draft the best player on the board at #5, regardless of whether it is our biggest need. Could Gholston be that guy?

by PVChiefsfan on Mar 26, 2008 12:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Gholston's Second Tier...Especially For Us

He's very good, but he's not as valuable to us as Dorsey, Ellis, Jake Long, or even McFadden. He's also not quite as good as Chris Long so there'd be no point drafting Gholston under any scenario barring a major injury to one of the top five or unless we have a deal in place to trade Jared Allen either before or after the draft.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Mar 26, 2008 1:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not quite as good as Chris Long?

What is that based on? I have them even at this point, with potential going to Gholston. With my pick in the AP mock if Ryan, Jake Long, Ellis, and Dorsey were gone, I would have selected McKelvin or Gholston.

by Tom Bahali on Mar 26, 2008 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As long as Gholston

stays away from the butt needle and doesn't become Roid Monster Merriman Jr. I think he has tons of potential.

by PVChiefsfan on Mar 26, 2008 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Out of curiosity

If you had chosen Gholston, what would you do with him?

The only option I see is letting Jared Allen go, which is a mistake in my opinion since you know what you've got in JA and only hope that Gholston would be as good.

So you have 3 good DEs, JA, Tamba and Gholston, but can only play 2 at a time. Meaning either your pro bowler or one of your 2 first round picks in the last 3 years is going to be sitting on the bench doing nothing.

While Gholston might be the BPA at this point, he wouldn't be the best VALUE in my opinion since you would essentially have a great talent sitting on the bench at all times.

by DJ on Mar 26, 2008 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would move Tamba inside to play the Tuck role.

I could seriously see this happening.

by Tom Bahali on Mar 26, 2008 8:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Long Better Than Gholston Because...

...Long's carrying a bit more mass for the front line and I just see Gholston as something of a tweener. A bit too small to be a standout end, a bit too slow to be a standout LB.

Just a personal opinion on it, and I could be wrong, of course. Back in the day I didn't think Jason Taylor would have the career he had either for the same reasons. I just think that Chris Long looks like a better choice than Gholston right now, though.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Mar 26, 2008 6:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ha

"a tweener. A bit too small to be a standout end, a bit too slow to be a standout LB". Other than the bot too slow part this sounds eerily familiar to some comments about our most famous "tweener", Number 58!

by PVChiefsfan on Mar 27, 2008 6:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bellichick seems to like veteran LBs

I think that on the face of it, Gholston to the Patriots seems like a good pick. However, the Pats defense is a 3-4, so Gholston would be playing Outside LB. His strong suit is rushing the passer, but playing an OLB instead of a DE in a 4-3 means he will have other responsibilities.

If you look at how the Pats defense has been that last several years and remember that Bellichick started out as a Defensive guru, his trend lately seems to be going after older veteran players at LB.

Bruschi, Seau, Vrabel are examples of the experience and wisdom Bellichick likes at the position. Bellichick also has a reputation similar to Herms for CBs in that Bellichick thinks he can find good LBs just about anywhere and feels no need to spend high picks on them.

I could be wrong. Maybe they will bring Gholston in as a pass rushing OLB. But if they do it will be going against the latest trends in their defense.

by DJ on Mar 26, 2008 6:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs