Saturday Blitz
Fansided

2017 NFL Draft: Top 50 Prospects Halfway through Season

By Tyler Brooke

Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) catches a pass as Mississippi Rebels linebacker Detric Bing-Dukes (43) defends during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) catches a pass as Mississippi Rebels linebacker Detric Bing-Dukes (43) defends during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
29 of 51
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 /

If you’ve watched Stanford at any point this season, you’ve probably noticed Solomon Thomas making plays on the defense. Although he’s only a redshirt sophomore who could return to play for the Cardinal in 2017, he could declare after this season and probably be a first or second-round pick.

The first thing that you notice when watching the film on Thomas is his violent hands. That hand speed helps him disengage from offensive linemen to get in the backfield and make plays, whether that’s stopping the running back or getting a sack.

By staying low, using his hands and being technically sound, Thomas is capable of routinely making plays in the backfield. He translates best as a 3-4 defensive end, so the right defensive scheme in the NFL could give Thomas the potential to be a major contributor for a franchise.

Home/NFL Draft