DE/LB Thaddeus Gibson (official thread)

[osucollegebuck]

I would love to have him in Buffalo now that we've made the switch.

 

[Buckskin86]

Gibson excited for NFL future
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
By JOHN KAMPF
[email protected]

COLUMBUS ? Neither the day ? nor the feeling ? will be forgotten anytime soon by Thaddeus Gibson.

The Euclid product and his Ohio State teammates had barely come down from the emotional high they received from a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon on New Year?s Day when a blunt realization hit Gibson ? who at the time had just declared himself eligible for April?s NFL draft.

?I was in the shower,? Gibson said, ?and a guy came back and said, ?C?mon, we?re going to start the meeting early.??

Not wanting to be late, Gibson said he hurried out of the shower at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, quickly got dressed and approached the meeting room. It was then that it hit him ? his playing days at Ohio State were over and he wasn?t in on the meeting.

?I almost walked into the meeting room,? Gibson said. ?Then I was like, ?Wow. I?m not really on the team anymore.? When that happens, it?s like, ?Wow. It?s really over with.??

Along with the 18 seniors that departed following the season, Gibson ? a redshirt junior ? is also finished playing at Ohio State.

But whereas most of his former teammates will not be drafted in April?s NFL draft, Gibson is expected to be drafted as high as the first round.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end has been working out at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center since returning from the Pasadena, Calif., and is one of 53 juniors who were invited to participate in the NFL Combine starting on Feb. 24.

?It?s crazy,? Gibson said. ?I was telling my brother (Rafael) about it yesterday. He said he remembers when I was younger, out doing backflips and running in circles just because. And now I?m going to go show people and perform to show teams I can do things like that. It?s incredible.?

Gibson is still working toward his degree while preparing for the combine and draft. He is taking two classes — American History and the History of Jazz — this quarter, and will take two more classes in the spring. He will graduate at the end of spring quarter with a degree in African American Studies.

“That’s important to me,” he said of graduating before starting his NFL career. “Coach Tressel said, ‘I’m OK with your decision (to turn pro), but you can’t leave here without that degree. That’s something I want you to get done, something we as a coaching staff want you to get done, and something you should want you to get done.’

“Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.”

Gibson excited for NFL future Morning Journal: Serving Lorain, Erie, Huron and western Cuyahoga counties

 

[Buckskin86]

OSU's Thaddeus Gibson hopes to impress NFL scouts skeptical after a teammate's struggles
By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer
February 22, 2010

Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer
Thaddeus Gibson knows the struggles of former Buckeyes star Vernon Gholston may be held against him by NFL scouts at this week's combine in Indianapolis. But Gibson is confident he can display his potential as a pro linebacker and win over any critics.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Does Thaddeus Gibson want to remind people of a former No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft? The draft slot is a dream, but it might be best if any other comparisons stop there.

At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week, Gibson will take his first step toward the same position change that former Ohio State star Vernon Gholston made two years ago, moving from a defensive end in college to a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. Gibson would love to jump into the first round with a great combine, but he won't be getting to No. 6.

Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer

"I think I?m a linebacker at heart," Gibson has told reporters and pro scouts. "Playing in space is something I love.?Yet he should hear Gholston's name a few times.

"I think it's human nature," Brad Cicala, Gibson's Columbus-based agent, said. "People are going to make comparisons when they see guys with the same uniform, the same body type and that same position. But I think teams will look beyond that and see that Thaddeus is a different football player than Vernon Gholston."

Gibson, a former Euclid High star, took over his starting defensive job at Ohio State two seasons ago after Gholston was taken in the first round by the New York Jets as a pass-rusher who looked like a body builder. Gholston burnished his reputation with great combine numbers. But in two seasons in the NFL, the 6-foot-3, 265-pounder hasn't recorded a sack or earned a starting job and has been viewed as a disappointment, one anonymous teammate questioning his passion for football.

"People will question Gibson a lot about his intensity and his fire for the game. They'll go the extra mile with that as it relates to Gholston," Sports Illustrated draft analyst Tony Pauline said.

OSU's Thaddeus Gibson hopes to impress NFL scouts skeptical after a teammate's struggles | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com

 

[Buckskin86]

OSU football | NFL combine: Past a plus for Gibson
His experience at linebacker should help him fit a 3-4 defense
Sunday, February 28, 2010
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Neal C. Lauron | Dispatch
Former Ohio State defensive end Thaddeus Gibson is projected as an outside linebacker in the NFL.

INDIANAPOLIS - Thaddeus Gibson didn't look the least bit nervous or concerned at the NFL combine yesterday, and with good reason.

A slew of defensive ends are using this weekend to try to prove they can make the transition to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Gibson has little to prove, mainly because he played linebacker for four years at Euclid High School before being converted to end at Ohio State.

The way he looks at it, this is not a painful learning process - it's more like going back home.

"It's truly the position I love the most," Gibson said. "I'm excited to hear the talk about me going back to linebacker, honestly, but I don't mind playing defensive end, either. I'm just excited about the opportunity and ready to go."

Gibson also is finding himself in the uncomfortable position of trying to distance himself from Vernon Gholston, a former teammate who to this point has failed to make the transition from college end to pro linebacker.

Gholston set the Ohio State sack record with 14 in 2007 and was the sixth overall pick of the 2008 draft. Through two years with the New York Jets, he has been a disappointment, with just 30 tackles and no sacks. Jets officials yesterday said they remained hopeful that Gholston could become a productive player, but also made it clear that time is running out.

Asked if this was a make-or-break year, Jets coach Rex Ryan said, "I think that's an accurate statement. I think generally by the third year, you've got to see a guy really make strides, and I expect Vernon to really make strides this year."

Gibson said no NFL teams have brought up Gholston in interviews the past two days.

"I think Vernon is more of a true defensive end," Gibson said. "I don't see us being the same type of player at all."

OSU football | NFL combine: Past a plus for Gibson | BuckeyeXtra

 

[Buckskin86]

Thaddeus Gibson talked with the Ravens, Chiefs, Saints, Browns, Falcons and Cowboys

RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson

Twitter / Aaron Wilson: Thaddeus Gibson talked wit ...

The highest-rated prospects represented well Sunday. Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh put up 32 reps, doing nothing to hurt his stock and besting Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy (26). Other notables included Ohio State DE Thaddeus Gibson (32), Michigan DE/OLB Brandon Graham (31) and USC DE Everson Griffen (32).

Overall, 50 of the 66 linemen lifted, and 13 players did 30 reps or more.

NFL.com Blogs ? Blog Archive D-linemen bring power, intensity to bench press ?

 

[MUBuck]

Twitter / Aaron Wilson: Thaddeus Gibson talked wit ...


NFL.com Blogs ? Blog Archive D-linemen bring power, intensity to bench press ?

Beast mode.

 

[Buckskin86]

Mayock on Gibson

Mayock projects Ohio State outside linebacker Thaddeus Gibson, from Euclid High School, as a late second-round or early third-round pick.

"I think he's a one-speed player right now," Mayock said. "He has a lot to learn. He's raw, but he's very gifted and talented."

Gibson decided to leave Ohio State after his junior season. He had 82 career tackles and 10 career sacks.

NFL combine notes: NFL Network split on value of QB Quinn - The News-Herald Sports : Breaking news coverage for Northern Ohio

 

[mross34]

Gibson put up 32 reps on the bench. This tied him for 5th amongst D-linemen. Not bad for a guy who will probably play LB at the next level.

 

[ShakerBuck]

"Thaddeus Gibson's second run at the Forty was a little slower 4.78 (first was 4.71)"

I thought he was hoping to be sub 4.5?

 

[chillinvillian]

He should have stayed one more year but oh well I wish him good luck and hopes he kicks ass in the Pros!

 

[mross34]

He should have stayed one more year but oh well I wish him good luck and hopes he kicks ass in the Pros!

Charley Casserly was just on NFL Network talking about Thad.

Said of all the undersized DEs looking at OLB in a 3-4, Thad was most impressive to him.

 

[jwinslow]

Thad was never going to be a 4.5 guy. He was a good athlete but was never a speed demon off the edge. I'd say he showed about the same speed as laurinaitis at osu.

He should have stayed one more year but oh well I wish him good luck and hopes he kicks ass in the Pros!

Disagree. Thad wasn't going to improve his stock much by returning. He will be a mid-round pick and wanted to start his professional career. I can't fault guys who have put in 4 years and don't want to miss their opportunity.
I really hope someone credible mocks the Vernon gholston comparisons. They are lazy and foolish.


Thad is most valuable as a stand-up versatile rush lb. He would be out of the league in 18 months or less if a team tried to use him as a 4-3 end.

Vern is the complete opposite. He is a man-child who tests well but on film is not effective in space other than as an element of surprise. He is wasted in a 3-4.

 

[ShakerBuck]

Thad was never going to be a 4.5 guy. He was a good athlete but was never a speed demon off the edge. I'd say he showed about the same speed as laurinaitis at osu.

"Playing at 247 pounds, he'd like to get to 255 if it doesn't cost him any speed, and he thinks he could run his 40 meters in the 4.4s during pre-draft workouts. "

from page 68 in this thead

 

[jwinslow]

"Playing at 247 pounds, he'd like to get to 255 if it doesn't cost him any speed, and he thinks he could run his 40 meters in the 4.4s during pre-draft workouts. "

Did he ever look anywhere close to a 4.4 guy to you, shaker?

Maybe he flirts with 4.49 (4.55-4.59 would leave room for hopes) on OSU's notoriously fast track, but he's not close to that kind of speed in Indy.

 

[Merih]

I think that before his position change that he could easily have cracked 4.5. He got slower as he added weight for the defensive line, but kept his burst and closing speed enough to be a demon off the edge.

I'm sure he'll post in the low 4.5s at the Pro Day and earn himself a first round grade.