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2017 NFL Draft: Biggest winners and losers of Bowl Season

By Tyler Brooke

Sep 24, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Budda Baker (32) celebrates after a Arizona Wildcats fumble during the fourth quarter at Arizona Stadium. Washington won 35-28 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Budda Baker (32) celebrates after a Arizona Wildcats fumble during the fourth quarter at Arizona Stadium. Washington won 35-28 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (90) celebrates with head coach David Shaw (L) after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 25-23 at Sun Bowl Stadium. Thomas was named MVP of the game. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (90) celebrates with head coach David Shaw (L) after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 25-23 at Sun Bowl Stadium. Thomas was named MVP of the game. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports /

Winner: Solomon Thomas, EDGE, Stanford

This year’s class of edge rushers is one of the most competitive groups in the entire class. Guys like Myles Garrett out of Texas A&M and Tim Williams out of Alabama are all but guaranteed to be first-round picks, while others are trying to prove that they deserve that first-round grade.

Stanford’s Solomon Thomas has had a great season, but he had his best game of the year when it mattered most in the Sun Bowl against the North Carolina Tar Heels. In front of a national audience, Thomas made the UNC offensive line look silly, breaking into the backfield play after play, even coming up big in the final moments with this sack on a two-point conversion attempt.

There are going to be a handful teams who are going to fall in love with Thomas heading into late April. He’s a well-spoken guy who is humble off of the field and dominant on it. He’s explosive off of the snap, keeps his pad level low and has violent hands to disengage that are on par with Alabama’s Jonathan Allen.

Thomas was a borderline first-round pick before the Sun Bowl. Now, I’ll be shocked if he isn’t taken in the first day of the NFL draft.

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