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All-time worst Jets draft pick?

Pointdexter

By Pointdexter
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chirorob

chirorob

Posted
Posted
On 4/1/2017 at 3:45 PM, T0mShane said:

Gholston. 

 

DRob was awful because Belichick deked us into trading two firsts and a fourth for him, but at least he played. 

I agree with that.   Forget what we traded up to get him. 

As a pick, he was real bad, but he at least had a few glimpses, had a few good games.  Gholston never even made 1 legit play.   Not one.

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chirorob

chirorob

Posted
Posted
34 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Ducasse has fashioned a decent little career, he is by no means the worst. 

I don't think you can be the worst if you are a second rounder, and he has stuck around the NFL for, what, 7 years now?

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nyjbuddy

nyjbuddy

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Posted

Though the rest of the previously mentioned picks are spot-on, the worst late round pick was Scotty McKnight.  Not for the pick itself (though he was a terrible pick) but it shed some light on the "circus" that was going on behind closed doors.  This pick may have been more damaging to the organization than some of the players they selected earlier in drafts.

"Anyone who questions Ryan’s influence in the draft room should read the new book “Collision Low Crossers” by Nicholas Dawidoff, who spent a year with the Jets and had tremendous access. In 2011, the Jets were preparing to make their final pick of the draft. The scouts wanted linebacker Nick Bellore. Ryan, Tannenbaum and top advisor Terry Bradway left the room. When they returned, Tannenbaum announced they were drafting wide receiver Scotty McKnight, who the scouts did not have a draftable grade on but was Sanchez’s childhood friend. Ryan had promised Sanchez he would take him and wanted to keep his word, infuriating the scouts." -http://nypost.com/2013/12/04/rex-ryan-has-contributed-to-jets-offensive-woes/

 

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chirorob

chirorob

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Posted
4 hours ago, JiF said:

I'll only do 1st rounders.

From a pure, bust stand point?  It's Gholston no questions asked. Dee Milliner being a close 2nd.  

From a WTF are you thinking, you took the wrong guy and everyone knows it other than the stupid Jets perspective?  This list is strong even though some of the players had decent careers:

Bryan Thomas > Ed Reed - especially considering the Jets needed a S and had J.Abe and Ellis already on the roster.

Kyle Brady > Warren Sapp - I mean, WTF?

Kenny O > Dan Marino - and I loved me some Kenny O.

Blair Thomas > Cortez Kennedy and Junior Seau, 2 HOF'ers selected directly after Blair.  And I mean, WTF, you drafted a dude named Bliar to play Football?

Quinton Coples > Chandler Jones - I wanted Coples fwiw.

Calvin Pryor > like 10 players.  

And both of last years 1st and 2nd could look really stupid in a few years.  

At the time, I didn't think Coples was bad.

The Ed Reed, awful, even worse when they had 2 1st round DE on the team.

Sapp, I remember.  Lying in bed, hung over, chanting with my friends, "We want SAPP"

Marino...   wow

I wanted Cortez, so much.    Such a great player on an awful team.  

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The Crusher

The Crusher

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Posted
5 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I do not admit it. When loosely discussed, it's just that so many just mention QBs or those who made headlines more than the quiet Gholston.

He was one of the biggest busts in modern NFL history. It wasn't even because he was a troublemaker in the locker room, got himself thrown in jail, or had a drug problem. He just sucked that badly.

 

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/01/vernon-gholston-an-unprecedented-nfl-draft-bust/

The news this week that the Jets will cut defensive end Vernon Gholston has given us a couple of opportunities to examine just what a monumental draft bust Gholston was.

In fact, Gholston, taken sixth overall in 2008, may have been the biggest bust of any defensive end ever selected in the NFL draft.

According to Michael Salfino of the Wall Street Journal, Gholston is the only defensive end drafted in the top 10 to fail to record a single sack since the NFL started counting sacks in 1982.

Prior to Gholston, the least productive Top 10 defensive end the NFL had seen was Reggie Rogers, who was taken seventh overall by the Lions in 1987. Rogers recorded two sacks in two seasons before the Lions cut him after he killed three people while driving drunk.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2442694-the-worst-picks-in-nfl-draft-history#slide8 (granted it's bleacherreport, but the author went back 30+ yrs and had Gholston in his top 10)

You could make a strong case that Vernon Gholston has been the most famous bust in the recent history of the draft.

Or is that infamous?

The sixth overall selection by the New York Jets in 2008, the former Ohio State Buckeye failed to terrorize NFL quarterbacks like he did college offenses. He played in a total of 45 games for head coaches Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan and recorded zero sacks.

Released by the club after three seasons, Gholston latched on with the Chicago Bears in 2011 and attempted to impress another defensive-oriented head coach in Lovie Smith. But the disappointing defender failed to make the team, and after brief dalliances with a couple more squads, thus ended an NFL career that accumulated more question marks than tackles.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/photos/biggest-draft-busts-ever

6. Vernon Gholston - New York Jets

Vernon Gholston came out of The Ohio State University as a feared pass rusher. The Jets selected him sixth overall in 2008 NFL Draft, yet Gholston never recorded a sack while in the league.

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/gallery/biggest-nfl-draft-busts-in-history-ryan-leaf-andre-ware-jamarcus-russell-joey-harrington-040715

Vernon Gholston (No. 6 overall, Jets, 2008)

Gholston was the epitome of a player who ascended at the NFL Scouting Combine and fell flat on his face in the NFL. Teams were impressed with his measurables, his speed, his reps, you name it, but none of it ever translated to the football field. He had 21.5 sacks while at Ohio State, fifth-most in school history. In three seasons with the Jets, he had none. He only started five games, period. He tried to latch on with the Bears, Rams and Redskins, but to no avail.
 

Vernon Gholston, DE, Jets

Gholston was drafted sixth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, and lasted with the club for four seasons. He was a workout warrior, who flashed at the combine and even repped 225 pounds 37 times. All the measurrables aside, Gholston couldn’t make an impact on the field and never recorded a sack with the Jets.
 

4. Vernon Gholston, 2008, sixth overall

The Jets tried to get Gholston to play good football. Gholston himself reached out to Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor to improve. No effect, as in, he never recorded a single sack. That's like bringing Iceman in to help you fly, and you can't even get the engine turned over. The sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft who had a reputation as a "workout warrior" never even breached the hallowed ground of 30 career tackles.

https://www.si.com/nfl/photos/2014/05/08/biggest-draft-busts-modern-era

Vernon Gholston, DE — 2008 1st round (6th overall)

In his last two seasons at Ohio State, Gholston averaged just over 11 sacks a season. A step up to the NFL didn't really suit him, though: he failed to record a single sack for the Jets, becoming the only defensive end drafted in the top 10 to do so since the league began counting them in 1982.
 

2008: Vernon Gholston, No. 6 pick by New York Jets

In three seasons with the Jets, Gholston started five games. He recorded a total of 25 tackles and did not have a sack. Over those three seasons, 638 players recorded at least one sack. Among the 665 defensive players to take at least 500 snaps over that span, four players had fewer tackles than Gholston, and they each played in 20 or fewer games, whereas Gholston played in 45. Gholston was released by the Jets before the 2011 season and has not played since.

http://www.thenfldraftinsider.com/biggest-nfl-busts-since-2000/

Vernon Gholston, 1.6 in 2008, taken by New York Jets: Vernon Gholston is the only player to make the list who was drafted outside of the top 5, but he had the least productive career of anyone. Gholston was an EDGE prospect out of Ohio State, who lasted just three seasons in the league. Despite playing 14 or more games in each season, he only recorded 5 career starts, and made almost no impact when he played. His final career stats? 3 seasons, 45 games played, 5 starts, 16 solo tackles, 18 assisted tackles, 0 sacks. He was cut after his third season and never made another team despite chances with Chicago and St. Louis in the following years.

---------------

And there's a lot more than that. Plenty of people have him on their all-time biggest busts list despite him being taken outside the top 5, not being a QB, never getting arrested or causing any trouble, or even saying one word that anyone can recall.

So does this mean you are not going to admit it?

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tuffhand

tuffhand

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Posted

Gholston, because I remember reading articles questioning his desire before the draft as well as his football acumen. However the pick that broke my heart was Blair Thomas. I was driving when they announced the pick and immediately began hitting the steering wheel in anger and almost went off the road. It was so obviously a bad pick.

I wanted Junior.

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Ex-Rex

Ex-Rex

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, tuffhand said:

Gholston, because I remember reading articles questioning his desire before the draft as well as his football acumen. However the pick that broke my heart was Blair Thomas. I was driving when they announced the pick and immediately began hitting the steering wheel in anger and almost went off the road. It was so obviously a bad pick.

I wanted Junior.

Cortez Kennedy was the next pick and he is a HOFer.

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TuscanyTile2

TuscanyTile2

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Posted
7 minutes ago, Ex-Rex said:

Kyle Brady was bad because not only was he a TE that could have been had perhaps in the second round, but the Jets passed on an all time great in Warren Sapp.

Making it far worse, Jet fans who were at the draft were chanting "We want Sapp!"  

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CanadaSteve

CanadaSteve

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Posted
21 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I do not admit it. When loosely discussed, it's just that so many just mention QBs or those who made headlines more than the quiet Gholston.

He was one of the biggest busts in modern NFL history. It wasn't even because he was a troublemaker in the locker room, got himself thrown in jail, or had a drug problem. He just sucked that badly.

 

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/01/vernon-gholston-an-unprecedented-nfl-draft-bust/

The news this week that the Jets will cut defensive end Vernon Gholston has given us a couple of opportunities to examine just what a monumental draft bust Gholston was.

In fact, Gholston, taken sixth overall in 2008, may have been the biggest bust of any defensive end ever selected in the NFL draft.

According to Michael Salfino of the Wall Street Journal, Gholston is the only defensive end drafted in the top 10 to fail to record a single sack since the NFL started counting sacks in 1982.

Prior to Gholston, the least productive Top 10 defensive end the NFL had seen was Reggie Rogers, who was taken seventh overall by the Lions in 1987. Rogers recorded two sacks in two seasons before the Lions cut him after he killed three people while driving drunk.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2442694-the-worst-picks-in-nfl-draft-history#slide8 (granted it's bleacherreport, but the author went back 30+ yrs and had Gholston in his top 10)

You could make a strong case that Vernon Gholston has been the most famous bust in the recent history of the draft.

Or is that infamous?

The sixth overall selection by the New York Jets in 2008, the former Ohio State Buckeye failed to terrorize NFL quarterbacks like he did college offenses. He played in a total of 45 games for head coaches Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan and recorded zero sacks.

Released by the club after three seasons, Gholston latched on with the Chicago Bears in 2011 and attempted to impress another defensive-oriented head coach in Lovie Smith. But the disappointing defender failed to make the team, and after brief dalliances with a couple more squads, thus ended an NFL career that accumulated more question marks than tackles.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/photos/biggest-draft-busts-ever

6. Vernon Gholston - New York Jets

Vernon Gholston came out of The Ohio State University as a feared pass rusher. The Jets selected him sixth overall in 2008 NFL Draft, yet Gholston never recorded a sack while in the league.

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/gallery/biggest-nfl-draft-busts-in-history-ryan-leaf-andre-ware-jamarcus-russell-joey-harrington-040715

Vernon Gholston (No. 6 overall, Jets, 2008)

Gholston was the epitome of a player who ascended at the NFL Scouting Combine and fell flat on his face in the NFL. Teams were impressed with his measurables, his speed, his reps, you name it, but none of it ever translated to the football field. He had 21.5 sacks while at Ohio State, fifth-most in school history. In three seasons with the Jets, he had none. He only started five games, period. He tried to latch on with the Bears, Rams and Redskins, but to no avail.
 

Vernon Gholston, DE, Jets

Gholston was drafted sixth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, and lasted with the club for four seasons. He was a workout warrior, who flashed at the combine and even repped 225 pounds 37 times. All the measurrables aside, Gholston couldn’t make an impact on the field and never recorded a sack with the Jets.
 

4. Vernon Gholston, 2008, sixth overall

The Jets tried to get Gholston to play good football. Gholston himself reached out to Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor to improve. No effect, as in, he never recorded a single sack. That's like bringing Iceman in to help you fly, and you can't even get the engine turned over. The sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft who had a reputation as a "workout warrior" never even breached the hallowed ground of 30 career tackles.

https://www.si.com/nfl/photos/2014/05/08/biggest-draft-busts-modern-era

Vernon Gholston, DE — 2008 1st round (6th overall)

In his last two seasons at Ohio State, Gholston averaged just over 11 sacks a season. A step up to the NFL didn't really suit him, though: he failed to record a single sack for the Jets, becoming the only defensive end drafted in the top 10 to do so since the league began counting them in 1982.
 

2008: Vernon Gholston, No. 6 pick by New York Jets

In three seasons with the Jets, Gholston started five games. He recorded a total of 25 tackles and did not have a sack. Over those three seasons, 638 players recorded at least one sack. Among the 665 defensive players to take at least 500 snaps over that span, four players had fewer tackles than Gholston, and they each played in 20 or fewer games, whereas Gholston played in 45. Gholston was released by the Jets before the 2011 season and has not played since.

http://www.thenfldraftinsider.com/biggest-nfl-busts-since-2000/

Vernon Gholston, 1.6 in 2008, taken by New York Jets: Vernon Gholston is the only player to make the list who was drafted outside of the top 5, but he had the least productive career of anyone. Gholston was an EDGE prospect out of Ohio State, who lasted just three seasons in the league. Despite playing 14 or more games in each season, he only recorded 5 career starts, and made almost no impact when he played. His final career stats? 3 seasons, 45 games played, 5 starts, 16 solo tackles, 18 assisted tackles, 0 sacks. He was cut after his third season and never made another team despite chances with Chicago and St. Louis in the following years.

---------------

And there's a lot more than that. Plenty of people have him on their all-time biggest busts list despite him being taken outside the top 5, not being a QB, never getting arrested or causing any trouble, or even saying one word that anyone can recall.

I think Gholston's problem was mental...He did not want to play the game, and he became highly religious and did not like the violent aspect of the sport.  Here is your list of players drafted after Gholston in the first round.  There was a WHOLE LOTTA bad in that draft.  Gholston just happens to lead the way!

Vernon Gholston Jets DE Ohio State
  7 7 Sedrick Ellis Saints DT USC
  8 8 Derrick Harvey Jaguars DE Florida
  9 9 Keith Rivers Bengals LB USC
  10 10 Jerod Mayo Patriots LB Tennessee
  11 11 Leotis McKelvin Bills DB Troy
  12 12 Ryan Clady Broncos T Boise State
  13 13 Jonathan Stewart Panthers RB Oregon
  14 14 Chris Williams Bears T Vanderbilt
  15 15 Branden Albert Chiefs G Virginia
  16 16 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Cardinals DB Tennessee State
  17 17 Gosder Cherilus Lions T Boston College
  18 18 Joe Flacco Ravens QB Delaware
  19 19 Jeff Otah Panthers T Pittsburgh
  20 20 Aqib Talib Buccaneers DB Kansas
  21 21 Sam Baker Falcons T USC
  22 22 Felix Jones Cowboys RB Arkansas
  23 23 Rashard Mendenhall Steelers RB Illinois
  24 24 Chris Johnson Titans RB East Carolina
  25 25 Mike Jenkins Cowboys DB South Florida
  26 26 Duane Brown Texans T Virginia Tech
  27 27 Antoine Cason Chargers DB Arizona
  28 28 Lawrence Jackson Seahawks DE USC
  29 29 Kentwan Ballmer 49ers DT North Carolina
  30 30 Dustin Keller Jets TE Purdue
  31 31 Kenny Phillips Giants DB Miami (FL)
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JAFJET

JAFJET

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Posted

For me it was Lam Jones with the number 2 overall in 1980. I was living in the D.C. Area at the time and the Redskins were desperate to trade up to take him. We refuse and stand pat, the Redskins settle for future Hall of Famer (and local Westchester guy) Art Monk at number 18 in the first.

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ZachEY

ZachEY

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Posted
On 4/3/2017 at 8:40 AM, Sperm Edwards said:

No doubt. Robertson was a bust for a 4th overall pick, and it was only made worse with the knowledge that (1) we traded up before the draft had even started -- before we knew the guy we wanted would even be there; and (2) we traded the #13 overall plus #22 overall plus another 4th rounder -- all in the current draft, not like this year's #1 and next year's #1, which would have less value today. BFD perhaps, but there were so many really good players taken that year that it magnified the error. Then to cap it all off, the crazy money awarded to a 4th overall pick back then was that of a veteran pro bowl FA in his prime. 

But to your point, there are relative busts (like Robertson), and then there are total - if not historically bad - busts. While a sore point with Jets fans, Robertson isn't even noteworthy in NFL draft lore. Gholston was historically bad.

It depends on how you define the worst pick.  To me, Gholston isn't even in the conversation.  Yes, he was a complete bust, but the opportunity cost was low.  We had the 6th pick and we picked him at 6.  But, what I think really eliminates Gholston is the fact that it's not like we picked him over a superstar.  Right after him, the next three picks were also generally busts, and while there were good players to be had, it's not like we missed on a superstar.  Maybe we could have picked Flacco there?

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ZachEY

ZachEY

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Posted
On 4/3/2017 at 11:17 AM, JiF said:

Bryan Thomas > Ed Reed - especially considering the Jets needed a S and had J.Abe and Ellis already on the roster.

Kyle Brady > Warren Sapp - I mean, WTF?

Kenny O > Dan Marino - and I loved me some Kenny O.  

This is my point... All three of these guys are much better than Gholston, but what could and should have been done with that pick could have altered the fate of the franchise significantly.

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JustInFudge

JustInFudge

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, gEYno said:

This is my point... All three of these guys are much better than Gholston, but what could and should have been done with that pick could have altered the fate of the franchise significantly.

True, they didnt pass on a HOF player like those other ones but they did pass on some great talent.  Mayo, CJ2K (could you imagine him his prime behind that line?), DRC, Talib...not legendary players but they could have helped the team a sh*t ton more than the nothing they got from Gholston.

 

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ZachEY

ZachEY

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Posted
Just now, JiF said:

True, they didnt pass on a HOF player like those other ones but they did pass on some great talent.  Mayo, CJ2K (could you imagine him his prime behind that line?), DRC, Talib...not legendary players but they could have helped the team a sh*t ton more than the nothing they got from Gholston.

 

No question you could have done better there.  My point is only that draft picks are opportunities to add talent out of a pool of players.  With Gholston, we added nothing, but Gholston to CJ2K (who wasn't picked until significantly later) is less awful than Bryan Thomas to Ed Reed.

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JustInFudge

JustInFudge

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Posted
Just now, gEYno said:

No question you could have done better there.  My point is only that draft picks are opportunities to add talent out of a pool of players.  With Gholston, we added nothing, but Gholston to CJ2K (who wasn't picked until significantly later) is less awful than Bryan Thomas to Ed Reed.

Agreed...though I do wonder if the Jets have a Super Bowl under their belt right now if they took Flacco and had him for the Rex Ryan runs instead of Sanchez.

 

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Bruce Harper

Bruce Harper

Posted
Posted
On 4/1/2017 at 4:29 PM, SickJetFan said:

I am going to make it another Geno thread so here you go

Geno "Slinger" Smith - probably set this franchise back more than any other draft pick in last 20 years.  Idziot passed on picking offensive playmakers which was desperately needed at the time and subsequently passed on QBs in future drafts because of him.  Wasted 4 years in the value in the core team that was still in place and productive (Brick, Mangold, Harris, etc..) on this future bust.

Geno was a second round pick.  No way that could be our worst pick ever.  He's not even our worst second round pick ever (Nugent comes to mind).  Robertson, Ghost, Blair Thomas, Lam Jones  all immediately come to mind as much worse picks.

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Bruce Harper

Bruce Harper

Posted
Posted
On 4/3/2017 at 8:13 AM, FlagmanL11 said:

Hackenberg. Living in the present.  Quite the list of 1st and 2nd rd busts.  Keeping it in the 2010's. we have Hill, Ducasse, Hackenberg, Millner, Devin Smith all 100% non contributors. 

How could a guy drafted in the late second round be our worst draft pick ever?  And he hasn't even gotten into a game yet.

Image result for you are filled with hate meme

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SAR I

SAR I

Posted
Posted
On 4/1/2017 at 4:29 PM, SickJetFan said:

I am going to make it another Geno thread so here you go

Geno "Slinger" Smith - probably set this franchise back more than any other draft pick in last 20 years.  Idziot passed on picking offensive playmakers which was desperately needed at the time and subsequently passed on QBs in future drafts because of him.  Wasted 4 years in the value in the core team that was still in place and productive (Brick, Mangold, Harris, etc..) on this future bust.

100% spot on accurate.

No draft pick hurt the franchise so hard and for so long.  It's not just Geno as a lousy player.  It's the dominoes he set in motion from Sanchez demotion to Ryan firing to Bowles failure to Fitzpatrick's contract to Petty and Hackenberg being drafted to McCown being signed not to mention the QB's we could have had like Glennon, Garappolo, Carr, and the wasting of the OL and Revis in his prime.

Geno Smith is The Devil.

SAR I

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Bruce Harper

Bruce Harper

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Posted
On 4/3/2017 at 10:53 AM, UnitedWhofans said:

But you have to admit, Sperm, that Gholston doesn't really get mentioned amongst the greatest busts in NFL history. He's kind of like an "Oh yeah" type of guy.

And I honestly believe that to be the case because the quality of that first round was bad.

The strongest argument for Gholston is that not only did he never get a sack, but I honestly can't even remember him every making a good play in the pros.  Ever.  And I would watch him carefully when he got in the game.  Compared to Gholston, Darron Lee is a hall of famer after one season.

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Brady's a catcher

Brady's a catcher

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Bruce Harper said:

The strongest argument for Gholston is that not only did he never get a sack, but I honestly can't even remember him every making a good play in the pros.  Ever.  And I would watch him carefully when he got in the game.  Compared to Gholston, Darron Lee is a hall of famer after one season.

Right, one tackle after a two yard gain puts him way ahead of the Ghost. 

 

My four year old said she wanted to sleep with her Jets pillow last night, I said "are you sure....."

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