Eric Mangini was working out on the treadmill when he saw footage of Ohio State sack specialist Vernon Gholston.
"I remember thinking this could be the sixth pick in the draft," the Jets' coach said.
It was appropriate that Mangini was on the treadmill, because he and the Jets hope that Gholston, the sixth overall pick, can invigorate a pass rush that seemed to be running in place much of last season.
The Jets finished 25th in the NFL with 29 sacks in 2007, and have brought in both Gholston and Arizona free agent linebacker Calvin Pace to improve those numbers.
"I liked the way he was able to set the edge," Mangini said of watching Gholston, who played end in college and will be a linebacker in the Jets' 3-4 defense. "I liked the way he affected the quarterback."
And not just with Gholston's 14 sacks in 2007 as a junior. He skipped his senior season to turn pro.
Mangini also noted the times that Gholston was "driving the tackle back into (the quarterback) or getting a hand on him and altering the throw."
Some experts have questioned Gholston's effort in college, saying he would disappear during plays, or even entire games. Some have labeled him a potential bust.
"I don't worry about it too much," the 6-3 1/2, 264-pounder said of the criticism. "I don't get into that. I do what I can do and control what I can control. The biggest thing I'll do is to work hard, keep grinding away and hopefully I'll show them up."
That was about as much bravado as the calm, collected Gholston demonstrated on his first day of rookie minicamp. He even said that his goal was "just to make the team at this point. I'm a rookie and some will say I was the first (Jets') pick, but you still have to put your work in."
His biggest challenge will be making the transition from the Buckeyes' 4-3, in which Gholston usually was a down lineman and not a standup linebacker. He's not worried.
"I stood on my feet sometimes and that's what I'm doing here," said Gholston, who sidestepped questions about contract negotiations. "It's helped me adjust to" playing linebacker.
"It's going to be a learning curve, but that's what I liked about the things that he did at Ohio State," said Mangini, noting that Gholston sometimes dropped into coverage at Ohio State.
"It's not a complete projection," the coach added, "because we've seen those things on tape."
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