01/28 — We’ll have the Super Bowl covered with Randy having just touched down in Arizona this afternoon, but last week’s Senior Bowl led us to think more about April’s NFL Draft. The Jets, who own a selection in each of the seven rounds, still have plenty of time for analysis.

The Combine is a few weeks out and colleges haven’t begun to host pro days. Free agency will heat up in late February and early March, so a lot is going to happen between now and draft weekend. Not to be deterred, though, are the prognosticators.

With the Jets’ sixth overall selection, many have predicted the Jets will take Ohio State DE Vernon Gholston. That list includes ESPN’s pundit pair of Todd McShay and Mel Kiper as well as Chris Steuber, a Scout.com draft analyst.

Gholston’s an underclassman who declared himself eligible after a dominating junior campaign. His 14 sacks were an Ohio State record and he totaled exactly half of that number against two of his toughest opponents in Wisconsin (four) and Michigan (three).

"I go out there and try to play hard within the scheme of the defense," he said this season. "I try to play with my teammates and win games. That's most important to me. Whether I have 13 sacks or one sack, if we win every game I am happy."

The 6’4”, 260-pounder, who was named the Big Ten’s defensive lineman of the year, is an imposing figure who played end in college. But according to McShay, “He would be an excellent addition at rush linebacker for a Jets defense that is in need of some perimeter heat out of its 3-4 front.”

"He looks like a bodybuilder and he runs like a sprinter," said Ohio State T Kirk Barton of Gholston. "That's why he gives so many tackles trouble. He has two really good moves that are hard to block no matter who you are. ... He's so strong that if you try and put an arm on him, he might break your arm chopping it down."

In Don Banks' latest mock, the CNNSI.com reporter had Auburn DE Quentin Groves pegged for the Green & White. Groves was limited in ’07 due to a foot injury (three dislocated toes), yet still registered three sacks, seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 23 QB hurries. 

Groves’ 26 career sacks tied the school record and he was not discouraged when Tigers head coach Tommy Tuberville moved him to strongside linebacker in order to help the team.

"To tell you the truth, I kind of like it," he said. "It's a lot more fun. You get to do a lot more things. It appeals to more of the high art of the defensive positions.”

Frank Coyle, a draftinsiders.com contributor whose work is featured on Rivals.com, envisions the Jets might go offense early and grab Michigan T Jake Long. The 6’7”, 315-pounder, who was the 11th two-time captain in Michigan history, was voted All-America the past two years and also became just the fifth two-time Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.

"I can remember in camp running the 'Michigan mile,' and he's up front with the linebackers and running backs and wide receivers. He's a flat athlete," said Wolverines DT Terrance Taylor of Long in a December Detroit Free-Press article. "He's embarrassing [to the other linemen]. On gassers, he's always the first lineman down and back. He's over 300 pounds, he weighs so much and is so big, yet when we run the golfcourse, he's in the top five finishing. He's beating Mike Hart and Mario Manningham — he beats these guys in the mile."

Even further off on the radar is the second round. That didn’t prevent Steuber from projecting the Jets taking Oklahoma State WR Adarius Bowman. We’ll keep a close watch on the mocks as they change in the coming weeks and months.

Late Word from 'Zona

Randy is attending the Patriots' media session at the Phoenix Convention Center and will check in later this evening.