ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
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."
"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."