Vernon Gholston is an American football defensive end for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted sixth overall by the Jets in the 2008 NFL Draft.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

◊ Last season, started three of the season’s first four games in place of a suspended Calvin Pace and established a new career-high in tackles.
◊ Named team’s Special Teams Player of the Week after totaling four special teams tackles vs. ARI, 9/28/08.

BEFORE THE NFL

◊ Established Ohio State single-season record with 14 sacks as a senior in 2007 and ranks fifth in school history with 22.5 career sacks…Tied school record with four sacks vs. Wisconsin, 11/3/07.
◊ Named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year by coaches, chosen All-Big Ten by coaches and media and selected a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award following his senior campaign in 2007…Second-team Walter Camp and AP All-America choice…Started 12 of the 13 games and accumulated 37 tackles, 14 sacks,15.5 tackles-for-loss and one fumble recovery.
◊ Earned second-team all-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2006…Started all 13 games and recorded 49 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles-for-loss, one interception.
◊ Attended Cass Technical HS in Detroit where he played football for Head Coach Thomas Wilcher.
◊ Earned all-state honors as an offensive lineman as a senior, but also utilized at linebacker, where he recorded 75 tackles with six sacks in his only high school season on defense.
◊ Began playing football as a sophomore where he was first utilized at linebacker before being switched to offensive guard, where he played exclusively his junior season.

OFF THE FIELD

◊ Gholston’s father, Vernon, died in 1999 from pneumonia after battling Multiple Sclerosis for seven years. Gholston helped care for his father while his mother, Cheryl Gholston, worked on a General Motors assembly line