Vernon Gholston's NFL Draft Prospect Profile

In the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, players from both states switch allegiances all the time. But most of the time, it's Ohio players heading north to play for the University of Michigan. Vernon Gholston is the rare Michigan player that went south to the Buckeye State, and now he's in line to be on of the top ten players off the board in the NFL Draft.

The former high school star from Detroit Cass Tech is one of the strongest players in the draft, benching 225 pounds 37 times. He also runs in the 4.5-4.6 range which is great for a defensive end or linebacker. The only question mark in Gholston's game is whether he is best suited to be a DE or a LB in a 3-4 defense.

Gholston proved he can do well against great competition by giving potential top-3 pick Jake Long of Michigan as much trouble as anyone else in college, as he used his combo of size and speed to frustrate the big left tackle from Michigan when they played.

But some people think he will be better in the 3-4 because of his quickness and the fact that he's a bit shorter than your average star defensive end. There is some worry that bigger tackles will engulf him at the point of attack on a consistent basis. That being said, many do think he can succeed at DE.

The 3-4 linebacker spot on the outside might very well be his best position, however. Gholston is so big and strong that when he gets a head start on his man, the force he generates is often too much for the opposing linemen to stop.

Gholston would be a great fit for the New England Patriots or a similar team that likes to put pressure on the QB using the 3-4. Expect him to go in the top ten at the very least and be a productive NFL player right off the bat.