AUDIO: Lynch, Shanahan, Thomas and Foster, joined KNBR's NFL Draft show right after a promising night for the 49ershttps://t.co/LM8SRoNSdD pic.twitter.com/zcY1TwDNvd
— KNBR (@KNBR) April 28, 2017
For the third season in a row, the San Francisco 49ers have taken a versatile defensive lineman in the first round of the NFL Draft.
After trading the second overall pick to the Chicago Bears, the 49ers selected defensive tackle Solomon Thomas out of Stanford with the third pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. In addition to receiving the third pick from Chicago, the 49ers got a major haul, also receiving the 67th and 111th overall pick in this year’s draft and a 3rd round pick in 2018 from the Bears.
John Lynch is doing work. 49ers get 67, 111 and 3rd round pick in 2018 to move down one spot
— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) April 28, 2017
Draft experts overwhelmingly predicted that John Lynch would select Thomas with his first pick as the team’s GM, especially after it became clear that the Browns were going to select Myles Garrett, considered the best d-lineman in the draft, with the first overall pick.
Thomas, 21, will join 2016 first-round pick DeForest Buckner and 2015 first-round pick Arik Armstead on the 49ers’ defensive line. Thomas is listed as a defensive tackle, but played all over the line during his time at Stanford, and was an effective pass rusher on the outside, sacking the quarterback eight times during the 2016 season. It is unclear exactly where Thomas will play in the 49ers’ new 4-3 system, but expect him to lineup both on the inside and outside as he did in college.
Thomas (6′ 3″, 273 lbs) was a first team All-Pac 12 selection in 2016 leading the team with 62 tackles (15 for loss), while also winning the Morris Trophy, awarded to the best offensive and defensive lineman in the conference as selected by the players. In 27 games with the Cardinal over two seasons, Thomas complied 101 tackles, 25.5 for loss, 11.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Behind Garrett, Thomas is considered the most complete and versatile lineman in the draft, with an excellent combination of quickness, power and agility. Thomas’ draft stock shot up after an impressive bowl performance against North Carolina in the final game of the 2016.
Thomas was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended high school at Coppell High School in Coppell, Texas before attending Stanford from 2014-2016. Interestingly, Thomas took a class with John Lynch during his time at Stanford, and even worked closely with the GM on a group project, when Lynch went back to school to earn his undergraduate degree.
