Super Bowl LI was the best possible ending to the 2016 NFL season – except for one thing. The Dallas Cowboys weren’t playing, and ever since this reality set in with their Divisional loss to the Packers, I’ve been scouting defensive line prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft over at Slant Sports. The Cowboys’ need for improvements along the defensive line is a well-known problem now, and solutions to this problem will be plentiful throughout the draft.
Even if they stay home and draft off of their board with the 28th overall pick, they can likely find EDGE talent – as my recent three round mock lands UCLA’s Takk McKinley in Dallas with this pick.
Should the Cowboys want to trade up and land a premier defensive line prospect though, Solomon Thomas of Stanford could be their guy. With the talent to instantly make a difference on Rod Marinelli’s defense, it’s not an exaggeration to say that this Cardinal Junior could be the missing piece for America’s Team in advancing through the playoffs in 2017.
http://streamable.com/mdz8g
With his best reps coming against guards, Thomas’ incredibly strong legs never stop driving, which often sets him up to shed blocks at the point of attack and finish.
This film clip and quote comes from my full scouting report on Solomon Thomas, and quickly gives you a feel for his natural strength, power, and size. An absolute force for any offensive guard to deal with, Thomas’ most explosive rushes come from the 3T DT position, where Dallas is already well off with Tyrone Crawford, Cedric Thornton, and Maliek Collins all capable of producing at the position.
What still makes Thomas a target for a potential blockbuster trade on draft night with the Cowboys is his ability on tape to translate his skill set seen as an interior rusher to the left defensive end position.
…his NFL projection to me comes down to the “ceiling vs. floor” debate. Thomas’ ceiling is certainly high, and while it may not be as astronomically high as other true EDGE prospects in this draft, it is his floor that makes him a special player.
The 2017 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded with EDGE talent, and thus there are different types of rushers that will fit each team’s needs differently. It would be unfair to pair Thomas with the true speed defensive ends that many in Cowboys Nation covet, but he would be an elite strong side base DE with the Cowboys in year one.
http://streamable.com/9ass6
What made the 2016 Dallas Cowboys draft class so special this past season was their depth, as a fourth round pick won Offensive Rookie of the Year, and a sixth round pick stepped up to play a major role at cornerback. Obviously, trading away the picks that could land the Cowboys their next Dak Prescott or Anthony Brown would drastically change expectations for this draft compared to the last – but that is nothing more than a compliment to the star that Solomon Thomas could soon become in the NFL.
…Solomon Thomas is going to be a fixture on any team’s defensive line for a long time in the NFL
It is time long overdue for the Cowboys to fix their defensive line, and drafting young talent at the position is the best way to go about this. Whether they evaluate the talent left on the board with the 28th overall pick, or try to move up and get their guy like Solomon Thomas, a pass rush is the last realistic thing standing between Jason Garrett’s team and a Super Bowl.
As far as I’m concerned, Solomon Thomas could be this pass rush, and is well worth moving up for on draft night.
Just before our season ended I was already doing mocks and Thomas was always my target. At that time I was not hearing his name discussed by scouts and pundits but somewhere along the line the cat came out of the bag and everybody has moved him up their board. Now pretty much every mock I do he is going in the top 10 every time. Of course that is some algorithm doing the picking. But I hear some like him better than Jonathan Allen. However, as much as I like Thomas it might be a little rich to move up into the top 10 to take him. If I’m moving up at all I would be moving up to take Myles Garrett. For me this draft is more like a move back draft into early 2nd round and stockpile more picks and take advantage of the depth at our positions of need. Of course it also depends on who might fall to us at #28. Combine starts in 21 days!
I’m convinced that it would take a trade to the #1 overall pick to get Garrett, but you’re right about where this team would need to go to get Thomas. Top 10-12.
Definitely would have to be pick #1 to get Garrett and I wouldn’t advocate for that. Would cost too much and we need more picks, not less. I think if we can do some trade backs in a couple rounds we can pick up additional picks. With quality depth at DL, CB, TE, and WR, I would like more trips at the plate to increase my chances for hitting it out of the park!