With The First Pick
Fansided

NFL Draft Rumors: Is Stanford’s Solomon Thomas a Top-5 Pick?

By Jon Dove

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit

Stanford’s Solomon Thomas has seen his draft stock soar since his strong performance against North Carolina. There are some who think it’s possible he could work his way into the top-5 picks.

In a recent podcast, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah mocked Solomon Thomas to the San Francisco 49ers at pick No. 2 overall. Jeremiah has been one of Thomas’ biggest supporters for a while now and obviously sees him as an elite talent.

He mentioned Thomas’ ability to generate pressure on the quarterback and work off the edge as reasons he fits with the 49ers. To be clear, Jeremiah routinely talks about how he hates doing mock drafts. This means we should take his predictions with a grain of salt.

More from With the First Pick

However, it doesn’t mean that Jeremiah doesn’t see Thomas as a top-5 prospect.

Thomas is a very intriguing prospects who has a knack for making plays behind the line of scrimmage. He typically wins thanks to his quick initial step and power. His build and style of play differs from the prototypical edge rusher.

In many ways, he’s similar to Alabama’s Jonathan Allen who is seen as a better overall prospect. The biggest difference is that Allen has a longer track record of producing at a high level.

It’s entirely possible that a team like the 49ers, or another one in the top-5, see Thomas worthy of coming off the board this early. The key will be how the project his development and where he will fit in their specific scheme.

A team like the Chicago Bears could envision Thomas as a 5-technique with the ability to generate pressure off the edge.

The Combine could be one of those things that plays a role in where Thomas comes off the board. If he tests well he could be seen as more of a speed threat off the edge.

Home/NFL Draft News