Strong Win-Rate On Run Blocks For Will Gholston
March 21st, 2021
Often owns run blockers.
We all know Vita Vea (when he plays) is a total monster. A freak of nature.
We all know Ndamukong Suh is a complete beast against the run.
We all know Jaosn Pierre-Paul is pretty strong against the run, though he made his bones as a pass rusher.
And then there is Will Gholston. The man with the second-longest tenure on the team behind Lavonte David is just damn good against the run and always has been (as a pass rusher — meh).
NFL freelance reporter Dov Kleiman Twittered a graphic last night showing just how good Gholston is on the run.
Gholston finished the 2020 season with the 10th-best win rate for defensive tackles on run blocks. A win-rate is basically when a defender owns the blocker enough to either clog the running lane or throw him aside to shed him and get a tackle.
No other Bucs player was in the top 10 at their respective position (Vea likely didn’t have enough snaps to count).
There is a reason why the Bucs were the No. 1 rush defense last year. Led by Gholston, the front-seven all play the run exceptionally well.
March 21st, 2021 at 10:11 am
Wanna bet O’s ran more toward Gholston than Suh?
March 21st, 2021 at 10:19 am
l
Gholston is not very fast. But OK against the run, apparently.
March 21st, 2021 at 10:20 am
Great Ceasar’s Ghost! This past season was the best I’ve ever seen him play
March 21st, 2021 at 10:22 am
I agree. Gholston is solid against the run. Pass rush is meh.
Not worth $5.5 million that is for sure.
March 21st, 2021 at 10:22 am
@Chris Thomas: Gholston has ALWAYS [played extremely stout at PoA.
Pass rush was his only knock.
March 21st, 2021 at 10:23 am
Donald Penn not on that list and Q. Williams is #1?
Interesting…
March 21st, 2021 at 10:25 am
Dang. Jets have 3 guys in top 10
March 21st, 2021 at 10:44 am
Curious stat, I hadn’t realized the jets line was so elite ! We’re they number 1 against the run ?
March 21st, 2021 at 11:14 am
Kind of small graphic…Jets have three of the top four? am I seeing that right? Dang!
March 21st, 2021 at 11:30 am
Gholston is a good backup, but not at his current salary. He’s one of the pieces the Bucs need to decide if they want to extend him for 3 more years (at $3M/yr) or let him go after this year.
Other key decision points prior to next year will be Suh (if he signs for 1 year), Gronk (overpaid), Jensen (keep for 3 more years), OJ (let go), Rojo (complimentary RB only) and JPP (resign for 2 more years). Some of these decisions will probably be made internally by Licht prior to the draft and could be money driven to help decide which direction to go (OT, DT, RB, Edge, TE, G/C in no particular order). IMO Davis, Whitehead, Godwin and Vea should all get long term deals prior to next year. I think RG will be a battle this year to see who stays in 2022.
March 21st, 2021 at 11:35 am
Will Gholston is probably the most under-rated Buc IMO. Have read so many JBF comments essentially saying ‘Cut him; he makes too much money for what he contributes; nothing but a run-stopper’.
‘Pressures’ are defined as Sacks plus QB Knockdowns plus Hurries. Our $16 mil man, Shaq Barrett, led the Bucs in that department last season with 42 pressures (8 Sacks, 8 QBKD & 24 Hurries). Guess which DLineman came in 2nd … yup, our $5 mil man, Will Gholston, with 29 pressures (3 Sacks, 17 QBKD & 9 Hurries). Will tied with our $8 mil man, Ndamukong Suh, who also had 29 Pressures (6 Sacks, 13 QBKD & 10 Hurries). Our $12 mil man, JPP, came in 4th in that department with 22 Pressures (9.5 Sacks, 4 QBKD & 8 Hurries).
So in terms of ‘value’ I’d say that Gholston more than held his own. $5 mil was a steal considering what he contributed. And yes, far more than just being a run-stuffer.
March 21st, 2021 at 11:37 am
Will is a good dude and does his job, however any stat that has 3 Jets in the top 5 is certainly irrelevant because the Jets suck.
March 21st, 2021 at 11:44 am
Cobraboy
How dumb do they look. Gholston had three sacks also. Thanks Will don’t think you’re not appreciated.
March 21st, 2021 at 11:47 am
Thank you defense rules. Some of these arm chair gms have no clue what they are talking about. They are just parroting the pied piper Joe who used to bash big will constantly after he signed his contract for not having a bunch of sacks. None of them understand that will’s contract is right in line for his contribution and that is why the bucs have never restructured it because its cheap and fair for what he brings to the table. His contract is not even half of elite d-linemen yet the arm chair gms led by joe will say cut him every year because “he makes too much.” He is not paid to be von miller or aaron donald. He is paid to be will golston and that is why he gets 5.5 mil a year.
March 21st, 2021 at 11:51 am
Will is a good guy and has been stout for many years against the run. Will is also a good citizen off the field. Never been a peep about Will off the field throughout his time on the Bucs. Again Jason find Will some money, give him a raise. GO BUCS!!!!
March 21st, 2021 at 11:52 am
It amazed me the amount of people who said “just cut William Gholston”, as if the guy is nothing. He’s a decent role player. All teams have guys like Gholston, and most 3-4 teams would want him.
Only 2 guys on this list had more sacks than Gholston, only 1 had more QB hits. Does that mean he’s a decent pass rusher for the role he plays?
March 21st, 2021 at 11:59 am
MarineBucs,
Did you mean Aaron Donald? Penn was a tackle.
March 21st, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Offensive tackle.
March 21st, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Red Mirage, totally agree. What good did it do them?
March 21st, 2021 at 1:12 pm
It’s players like Will Gholston that make a team solid…..he has been a great 4th round pick….steady & stout……I don’t think he’s being paid too much…..he’s certainly better than Beau Allen, Robert Ayers & most of the others we’ve had.
If we can extend him and pick up a couple of Million on the deal….let’s do it.
March 21st, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Interesting–I scarcely recognize any names on that list. Only the ones that get to the qb seem to get much press
March 21st, 2021 at 7:14 pm
Defense rules: nice post correct observations. GO Bucs
March 21st, 2021 at 10:12 pm
There are lies, damned lies, and then, there are statistics. The Bucs defense was 1st in stopping the run; the Jets (which has three of the top five players in this category) finished 12th.
March 21st, 2021 at 11:15 pm
Doctor strod please educate yourself. Stopping the run takes more than your front four. You must also have good linebackers and safeties. You must also have willing tacklers at cornerback. Yes, the jets were 12th against the run, but they could be much better if they had linebackers and safeties. Remember they traded jamaal adams to the seahawks. Those stats are not lies. Those stats showed their dts did their jobs. That means the jets have to sign/pick players to improve on their 12th ranking ie linebackers, safeties and corners. It takes a TEAM. When will this board understand that?
March 22nd, 2021 at 8:10 am
Gholston has always been a beast against the run and even better in Bowles defensive scheme. You gotta have players like this on your team even if they are “MEH” at pass rushing.