Chris Long in the NFL draft.

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Here is how I responded to some idiot on footballsfuture.com about Chris Long: The idiot wrote:

"These two are the top DE choices this season and Gholston is rising rapidly and Long hasn't really done much to help himself recently. Lets compare...

Vernon Gholston DE The Ohio State University
6-4 265 4.6 speed

Pros: As far as potential goes the sky is the limit and he is absolutely ripped. He has the speed and strength you need to dominate as a DE or OLB. During the Michigan game he dominated Jake Long all day and sacked Chad Henne 3 times. Gholston got one of the only 2 sacks Jake Long gave up all year. Gholston has a lot of versatility and can attack from a 3-point stance or blitz from the OLB position. Work ethic is not a question and he lives in the weight room.

Cons: Not quite as polished as Long is and he has been known to start slow in some games.

Chris Long DE Virginia
6-4 285 4.85 speed

Pros: He comes from a football family his dad Howie is a Hall of Fame inductee, but heritage isn't everything. Marcus Vick never lived up to his brother and Eli Manning is still in Peyton's shadow. He has a non-stop motor and is always after the ball carrier. He was a pre-season All-American and earned All-American first team honors along with ACC defensive player of the year. He has great form.

Cons: He is a bit heavy for a DE/OLB he could shed a couple punds and get a bit faster. Raw athleticism isn't his forte and there have been times where it seems that he isn't as disruptive on the line as you would desire. He is a hard worker but it doesn't seem like he could ever turn into that guy that you absolutely have to double team. He may also peak soon in terms of potential.

Bottom Line: Long is much more decorated but he doesn't have the potential that Gholston has. Mario Williams had all the potential in the world coming out college and look what he is doing now. Gholston could develop into the next great disruptive physically imposing NFL DE. Fundamentally he will get better and he has athleticism that you cannot teach."

I said:

"Do your homework buddy!!!!!!! your analysis is dead wrong!!!!! Long's 40 time=4.75.

I disagree strongly with your above scouting report and am tired of people labeling Chris Long only a motor guy/ polished smart player. Long proved he is a very good athlete at the NFL combine.

First off you have Long's 40 time completely wrong, which takes away all your credibility b/c it shows you didn't do your homework. Chris Long runs a 4.75 and that is a big difference from a 4.85 as it could clearly mean the difference between running down a QB. Vernon Gholston runs a 4.67; he ran his 4.58 on a "very fast track" at Ohio state's Pro day. The athleticism between these two are very similar; maybe I'd give Gholston a "very slight" edge. It's basically take your pick.

Gholston is "slightly" faster and stronger and is a better jumper. Gholston displayed a 42 inch vertical at his Pro day, which would be a top 25 recorded leap in the last 9 years at the NFL combine. However, Long has better acceleration as you can see from his "elite" 10 yard dash time and ran a far better short shuttle than Gholston. (I know at the Combine both these guys ran 1.53 10 yard times, Mcfadden ran a 1.50, but I'm talking about from game film)

Long changes direction better than Gholston as well as you can see from his excellent short shuttle and impressive 3 cone times and these things are also "very important" for a DE. Chris Long broad jumped 10 feet 4 inches and was very disappointed because he thought he could go 11 feet. You obviously didn't do your home work because Long is a "very good athlete" for a guy his size. Long also has a 34 inch vertical leap which is better than a lot of WRs and RBs in the NFL. And they measured the verticals wrong at the combine, Long stood out as elite at the Combine for that result. I would predict Long would have jumped 37-38 inches at Pro Day. Gholston jumped 35.5 inches at the Combine, 42 inches at Pro Day.

I would take Chris Long before Vernon Gholston if I was a GM. Long has better instincts than Gholston. Gholston has been labeled with a questionable work ethic from some reports I read. Long is considered possibly the hardest working player in this draft. The non-stop motor label really applies to Chris Long, but he is without a doubt so much more than that."

 

[Gi-15]

I'd choose Long 100 times out of 100 if I was in charge. Gholston goes through a lot of stretches during games where he completly dissapear. Long is always a threat. Gholston maybe the better overall athlete but he's also stiff in the hips(look at that, irony) I don't think Gholston would have been this good a prospect 10-15 years ago, before the age of the internet. A lot of hype comes from there because of how ripped he is.

 

[backrow]

he'll go first or second, no doubt.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I'd choose Long 100 times out of 100 if I was in charge. Gholston goes through a lot of stretches during games where he completly dissapear. Long is always a threat. Gholston maybe the better overall athlete but he's also stiff in the hips(look at that, irony) I don't think Gholston would have been this good a prospect 10-15 years ago, before the age of the internet. A lot of hype comes from there because of how ripped he is.

Absolutely true. Long is more agile and probably quicker to boot IMO. You can see this by Long's better short shuttle time and 3-Cone time. Long will be better with his burst and starting and stopping momentum and changing directions in space. Plus Long has a better work ethic and motor, and I'm not using the old caste-whore guess on that's the only reason he's good b/c he's white.

That my friends is w/o a doubt true.

 

[Leonardfan]

I'd rather him go second to team up with Adam Carriker on the Rams d-line

 

[Thrashen]

Although I THINK Long will be taken first overall to ultra-pathetic Miami, I HOPE he falls to the Rams as well. The DREAM situation is Long falling to the Patriots at 7...but there is about a 1% chance of that happening.

I suppose Long and Roth starting alongside each other for the next couple seasons in Miami is just a good as Carriker and Long in St. Louis.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

Gholston might be "slightly faster, stronger and a better jumper," but Long will be the better football player in the NFL.

 

[reclaimsocal]

The problem with Long going to the Dolphins at #1 overall is that Miami is very likely to end up playing a 3-4 front and Long doesn't project overly well to either the End or Outside Backer positions in that scheme. He is more of a 4-3 End that can slide down and play some DT in nickel situations. I think Parcells would love to take him, but they have such a glaring needat OT where only Vernon Carey (who should really be playing OG) and some scrub practice squad type are currently on the roster. I think the Dolphins end up either trading out or taking Jake Long.


The Rams would be an excellent fit for Long, as Leonard Little has little left and their other ends leave much to be desired. If they do end up passing on Chris, then I don't see how Al Davis passes on the guy. He is if nothing else, a guy who would see taking Howie's kid as an honor. If he manages to slip down to that third spot, all bets are off, because obviously the teams would have some sort of info that the public isn't privy to.

 

[celticdb15]

So what is the deal with Adam Carriker? is he stuck at defensive tackle?

 

[Gi-15]

Yes he is the starting NT

 

[whiteknight]

i hope he doesnt so he goes to the rams Carriker and long on the d line would be great

 

[Thrashen]

I acutally can't wait to see another white Rams defender who was a super-duper-stud in college, Tim McGarigle. He was a record-setting MLB for Northwestern and was involved in literally EVERY play....but because of his lack of "elite speed and athleticism," McGarigle had to take the long way into the NFL. Will Witherspoon, a generic black MLB, is all that now seperates McGarigle from becoming a STAR defender in the league. I swear it will happen.

Should Chris Long fall to the Rams....having those 3 guys (and Todd Johnson, behind the average Corey Chavous at safety) eventually playing defense together could make me really enjoy the Rams as I once did.

 

[jared]

I acutally can't wait to see another white Rams defender who was a super-duper-stud in college, Tim McGarigle. He was a record-setting MLB for Northwestern and was involved in literally EVERY play....but because of his lack of "elite speed and athleticism," McGarigle had to take the long way into the NFL. Will Witherspoon, a generic black MLB, is all that now seperates McGarigle from becoming a STAR defender in the league. I swear it will happen.

Should Chris Long fall to the Rams....having those 3 guys (and Todd Johnson, behind the average Corey Chavous at safety) eventually playing defense together could make me really enjoy the Rams as I once did.

Good call on McGarigle, he got very little respect for being the collegiate monster that he was. Glad to see he's survived the initial purges.

edited to add: He is the all time D1A career leader in tackles with 545. wow.Edited by: jared

 

[Thrashen]

"Good call on McGarigle, he got very little respect for being the collegiate monster that he was. Glad to see he's survived the initial purges.

edited to add: He is the all time D1A career leader in tackles with 545. wow."


I know man, he was crazy-good in the Big-10. He was the best LB the conference for at least 2 of those years. Have you ever heard of an NCAA record-holding guy getting screwed so badly in the pros? Oh wait, just ask Mike Hass, David Ball, and 90% of other draftable white players.

Did Tim even get drafted? I think it was the 7th round, or not at all. Seems to be a never-ending cycle of horsesh*t...

 

[backrow]

he came off the board in 7th round.

 

[whiteknight]

i have argued for Tim McGarigle on all of the Rams boards i frequennt all i get back from the record holding NCAA tackler arguement si

"he isnt quick enough to play MLB in todays NFL"
Read
"He isnt black enough to play MLB in the NFL"

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Use some examples whiteknight of successful MLBs who aren't fast. EJ Henderson was drafted pretty high and runs a 5.0. Or you could use Lofa Tatupu as an example, he runs a 4.9 and was thought too slow, but he is very instinctive, changes direction well and is strong like McGarigle. Tim McGarigle could be another Lofa Tatupu; the guy certainly knows how to play as evidenced from being the all time NCAA Div. IA tackles leader.