Just Blog Baby
FanSided

2017 NFL Draft: Top 5 Edge Rushers

By Tyler Dickson

September 2, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Jesse Ertz (16) runs with the football against Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Jordan Willis (75) during the first quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
September 2, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Jesse Ertz (16) runs with the football against Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Jordan Willis (75) during the first quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Oct 15, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (90) celebrates after a tackle in the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (90) celebrates after a tackle in the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Solomon Thomas – 6’3″ 273 lbs. – Stanford

Solomon Thomas is a beast. As an Ohio State fan, I’ve been watching Solomon since high school — his college decision came down to Ohio State and Stanford. It looks like he made the right choice for him, and is now on track to be a top ten pick in the NFL.

Thomas was a 5-star recruit and the no. 2 defensive end in the 2014 class.

Strengths:

POWER, and he has loads of it, and he also has quick martial arts type hands. The pop in his hands is some of the best I have ever seen. He consistently will put linemen on their back foot with his strong a punch, and his functional strength is elite.

Solomon can play all over the defensive line, he can skinny through gaps and he quickly and regularly will end a play early with a tackle for a loss or a sack. He has some speed to power ability, but if he can develop a more refined move, it could be world-beating.

Thomas has the agility needed to slice through blocker traffic and change directions in a hurry. He eats up angles with his stride and foot speed. He’s clearly an elite athlete, and when watching him play, it’s apparent he’s the best player on the field.

The way he explodes off the line is reminiscent of Aaron Donald. His bull rush is a thing of beauty, he has a relentless motor, and he showed up when his team needed him to. Clutch.

Weaknesses:

Thomas often became ineffective when facing double teams. He doesn’t have the anchor to take on multiple blockers, and gets moved easily.

He mostly played on the interior at Stanford but he won’t be able to in the NFL because teams will target him against the run. So there are questions about how he will adjust to the edge. This makes him a tweener, which is a concern.

When Solomon fires out of his stance, he’ll often do so straight up, giving opposing linemen pad level leverage. While his punch is top-notch, he needs to learn how to properly use them.

Overall:

At times, his highlights make him look like the best player in the draft. But his lowlights, such as when facing double teams, give reason for concern.

Even though he’ll likely have to transition to defensive end, I’ll bet on him succeeding in that role due to his combination of power and athleticism.

NFL Comparison: Everson Griffen

Film Score: 80.5

Athleticism Score: 7.8 (Elite)

Final Score: 78 (Round 1)

Home/Las Vegas Raiders Draft