Burnin’ for Vernon

Ok, I’ll admit I’ve been trumpeting the horns and beating the drums for the New York Jets to draft Arkansas runing back Darren McFadden if he is sitting there at 6 this Saturday at the NFL Draft, but…

Well, what can I say? This Vernon Gholston kid has me all flummoxed. Don’t get me wrong, I still think Jets need Darren McFadden and should make him the pick if he is at 6 because the Jets offense is not good enough to pass on such an elite offensive weapon. The reward merits the risk. However, Gholston also has to be near the top of the Jets draft board because as low octane as the offense was the Jets pass rush was invisible. I mean there was NO pressure ever put on the quaterback. Calvin Pace and Kris Jenkins should help but Vernon Gholston – he of the Ohio State school record 14 sacks in 2007 – could move the Jets defense from vastly improved to borderline elite status with the continued development of Darrelle Revis and David Harris.

It would appear that Gholston is the Jets player link du jour in the local print media and that is very understandable considering that just about every ealry mock draft projected the Jets selecting Vernon Gholston.

And here is the final ESPN mock draft which features dueling draft guru’s Mel Kiper Jr., (although we all know Mel is the one true jedi master of the draft) and Todd McShay and I have to say I’d be pretty thrilled if it turns out how Mr. Kiper calls it – Gholston in round 1 and Limas Sweed in round 2. Wow. Mr. McShay on the other hand gets it right in round 1 with McFadden but I’m not sure Jets would take such a second round risk as Quentin Groves as he recovers from heart surgery. It is looking like the Jets will be hard pressed to screw up the draft any way they go so hopefully 2008 will mirror the bonafide runaway success Jets had with their first two picks in 2007.