Vernon Gholston

Positional Rankings:
Offense: QB RB FB WR TE OT OG C
Defense: DT NT DE Hybrid DE/OLB OLB ILB FS SS CB
Special Teams: K P RS LS

Position: Defensive End

School: Ohio State

Status: Junior

Height: 6-3

Weight: 265

40-Yard Dash: 4.60 (EST)

Scouting Report: With the aid of some impressive pre-draft workouts, the stock of Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston has skyrocketed to the point where he is considered almost a lock for the top ten on draft day. He's an explosive player with great speed who could make an immediate impact in the NFL as a situational pass rusher, but, despite the impressive numbers he has posted at the NFL Combine, there are a few concerns with his game.

When he's on top of his game, he explodes off the line and is a tremendous pass rusher. He displays a nice variety of pass-rush moves, and gets upfield quickly, but must rely heavily on his speed and athleticism because, even though he displayed great strength at the NFL Combine, he's not very effective as a bull rusher who can force elite offensive linemen back into the pocket.

He's solid against the run as well, but appears to become a little tentative in his reads when teams consistently run at him. He has a tendency to disappear at times as well, which brings up some concerns about how consistent he will be at the pro level.

Projection: Gholston is an impressive athlete, and has the versatility to line up as a defensive end in a 4-3 defense or as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 set. There are some concerns, however, that he is more of a workout warrior than a football player.

Looking at the current order of selection, I could see him going anywhere in the 5-6-7 range to either the Chiefs, Jets, or Patriots.