Solomon Thomas--Stanford

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:
Thomas might just vanish in the middle of the Line. i don't think he's the Sapp type dominant player. but he could benefit from the other guys being on the DL too

Aldon Smith wasn't a high motor guy ethier and we didn't need him to run sideline to sideline like a LB

But if having the choice between the two..it has to be garrett

I agree just pointing out that we've seen plenty of cases of lesser talented or physically talented players having better careers due to their drive, passion and work ethic.

Tom Brady is the perfect example of this.
Jerry Rice being better than Randy Moss is another.

Rice wasn't a slouch in the athletic department himself but down a clear notch physically/athletically/speed wise from Moss and yet he just worked harder.

Similar situation.

This is what I was saying earlier. I see that "it" factor in Solomon Thomas. I don't see this guy flaming out or even being just average at the next level. I also can see him and Buckner really pushing one another. Maybe some of it rubs off on Armstead.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
I also can see him and Buckner really pushing one another. Maybe some of it rubs off on Armstead.

It'll be a nice mix of strengths. Thomas'll beat guys to the punch. Buckner can work on the blockers that can keep up with Thomas. Armstead can (hopefully learn to) bull rush the ones Thomas can't move.

His floor isn't too bad either: run stopper with solid size, pro-ready build, and durability.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Wouldn't be surprised if we that extra 3rd and 4th to move up to end of first for someone like foster

Nice call

Originally posted by zonkers:

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:

I also can see him and Buckner really pushing one another. Maybe some of it rubs off on Armstead.

It'll be a nice mix of strengths. Thomas'll beat guys to the punch. Buckner can work on the blockers that can keep up with Thomas. Armstead can (hopefully learn to) bull rush the ones Thomas can't move.

His floor isn't too bad either: run stopper with solid size, pro-ready build, and durability.

Originally posted by Rascal:

Originally posted by PrimeTime:

Seriously another Pac-10 DE?

I don't get it. Why can't we just draft a stud like Corey Davis or offensive skilled position. We could have two potential busts on our hands if Armstead and Thomas don't pan out. That would set us back

Absolutely. We should have gone on an offensive skilled position. In my view, we needed a guy like Fournette to carry the offense since we don't have a QB. With Fournette, we could have won a few games at least and kept the team morale intact during this long rebuild process. But now I am not so sure. I think it will be another terrible season for us. I wouldn't be too surprised if we were to go 2-14 again to be honest with you.

Originally posted by Rascal:

Originally posted by PrimeTime:

Seriously another Pac-10 DE?

I don't get it. Why can't we just draft a stud like Corey Davis or offensive skilled position. We could have two potential busts on our hands if Armstead and Thomas don't pan out. That would set us back

Absolutely. We should have gone on an offensive skilled position. In my view, we needed a guy like Fournette to carry the offense since we don't have a QB. With Fournette, we could have won a few games at least and kept the team morale intact during this long rebuild process. But now I am not so sure. I think it will be another terrible season for us. I wouldn't be too surprised if we were to go 2-14 again to be honest with you.

Rascal, c'mon. We jsut got 29% better on our front 7 and two of those guys are IMPACT player/starters. Yes, Foster needs good mentoring, but wow what a talent...some had him a top 5....fact a lot of mocks did. Good mocks. No, we are going to do way better than you think. Our OL is not too shabby either, basically it is done, with backups or rotational guys. Gotta be more positive, hombre. We done good today. Great even.

I think he will be a solid player. But not a difference maker. He will establish a line, but we still lack a pass rush. Thomas looks awesome as an inside D line men, but i felt we could have had a similar value a little later in this draft. I am still bright about this pick since this pick and the foster pick compliment each other. I now question our first round DC in trying to utilize this man at an "ideal"position. Go 9ers!

Originally posted by Passerby49:

I think he will be a solid player. But not a difference maker. He will establish a line, but we still lack a pass rush. Thomas looks awesome as an inside D line men, but i felt we could have had a similar value a little later in this draft. I am still bright about this pick since this pick and the foster pick compliment each other. I now question our first round DC in trying to utilize this man at an "ideal"position. Go 9ers!

I think he will be a lot better than "solid." Guys with his combination of smarts, skill and athleticism arent very common nor do they appear every year. I think once he finds his bearings and adds a little more weight he will be straight up dominant, a matchup problem for every offense he lines up across from.

Everyone is talking as if he's just a high motor guy who gets by on his work ethic alone. The guy has great athleticism, tremendous measurables to match his production and work ethic and he's only 21! He crushed the combine it gets overshadowed because of Myles.

Reposting this article now that the original is buried under 5,000 tons of post debris.

Ask almost any Stanford player about the program's rigorous offseason physical training regimen, and the usual response is a cringe mixed with a deep breath.

But ask defensive lineman Solomon Thomas about the work, and it's hard to detect more than a shrug.

"It was fun," Thomas said. "How can you not enjoy grinding with your teammates at 6 a.m.?"

Those early-morning human tug-of-wars, sprints, John Deere cart pulls, and muscle-searing slow-release pull-ups -- some of the hallmarks of the program that sports performance director Shannon Turley has used to build the foundation of Stanford's celebrated trench strength - -- that's Thomas' version of "fun."

"I wanted to make my hands more active, more violent and more quick," Thomas said. "I wanted to better understand my weight distribution and body language."

Through some online research, Thomas found Stan Martyniouk -- an accomplished boxer esteemed by legend Manny Pacquiao for his explosiveness. Pacquiao picked Martyniouk as his training partner to help him ready for his 2014 fight against Chris Algieri, and Thomas picked Martyniouk to be the trainer who would introduce him to the sport of boxing this past summer.

"I wasn't just going to go through the motions," Thomas said. "I was going to respect Stan and his time, and give him all I had. Because everything we were doing -- hips, hands, hand-eye coordination and hand coordination -- I knew it would all translate to the D-line. Everything made sense to me."

Martyniouk and Thomas began work at the Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos, located in a nondescript strip mall about 20 minutes north of Stanford's campus. An autographed Frank Gore jersey is on display near the gym's ring. The Indianapolis Colts running back boxed there when he played for the San Francisco 49ers, while Oakland Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson are still offseason regulars.

Thomas became the next star athlete to throw his name into that mix. His 6-foot-3, 273-pound frame was one of the biggest to ever step into the boxing gym, but it had a way of flying under the radar. At first, Martyniouk didn't know Thomas was one of the best defensive players in college football.

"All I knew was that Solomon played football," Martyniouk said. "But he was quiet and he didn't say much. He just came to work."

It didn't take long for Martyniouk and the Undisputed Boxing Gym to witness what Stanford coaches have seen since Thomas' early days on campus: a muscle-laden specimen who can reach 11 feet into the air on his vertical jumps -- even while weighing 273 pounds.

"I was amazed at how quick and explosive he was, for how big he was," Martinyouk said. "He's just super muscular, super strong and fit."

"Honestly, he'd probably do really well if we put him into the ring right now," Martyniouk said. "From day one, Solomon just pushed himself to the limit. He would not stop until I told him to stop. Some clients have to take breaks, but he doesn't take breaks. When I told him to do something, he did it. He's a machine."

http://www.espn.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/104163/solomon-thomas-perfected-his-football-craft-in-the-boxing-ring

^ all the doubters should read that.

That article cemented him as my favorite player in this draft. This is a guy who goes the extra mile to improve himself. That type of effort showed up in his tape.

Take that type of mentality and drive to get better and add it to someone who posted up these numbers at the combine...



There's no doubt this kid hasn't even scratches the surface of what he can do. He's played wherever Stanford needed him and he played well. The Michael Bennett role is the perfect spot for him and I'm glad to hear that's what the coaches are envisioning for him.

Can't wait to see him and Foster grow. Hopefully they feed off each other and Thomas helps Foster keep his chit together so both have long and prosperous careers with the 49ers.

Great story^^

That's the type of guy you wanna build your team around. Very very low risk and an extremely high reward.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Passerby49:
I think he will be a solid player. But not a difference maker. He will establish a line, but we still lack a pass rush. Thomas looks awesome as an inside D line men, but i felt we could have had a similar value a little later in this draft. I am still bright about this pick since this pick and the foster pick compliment each other. I now question our first round DC in trying to utilize this man at an "ideal"position. Go 9ers!

I think he will be a lot better than "solid." Guys with his combination of smarts, skill and athleticism arent very common nor do they appear every year. I think once he finds his bearings and adds a little more weight he will be straight up dominant, a matchup problem for every offense he lines up across from.

Yes, the 49ers are going to be happy with the pick not just for what you've said but also because they are buying into the leadership and work ethic he's going to bring. On the field he's relentless, and if you combine that with the Foster pick they are adding guys with big motors on the field. The 49ers defence just got a whole lot better yesterday.

Originally posted by genus49:

^ all the doubters should read that.

That article cemented him as my favorite player in this draft. This is a guy who goes the extra mile to improve himself. That type of effort showed up in his tape.

Take that type of mentality and drive to get better and add it to someone who posted up these numbers at the combine...



There's no doubt this kid hasn't even scratches the surface of what he can do. He's played wherever Stanford needed him and he played well. The Michael Bennett role is the perfect spot for him and I'm glad to hear that's what the coaches are envisioning for him.

Can't wait to see him and Foster grow. Hopefully they feed off each other and Thomas helps Foster keep his chit together so both have long and prosperous careers with the 49ers.

The combine numbers are nuts. Those are numbers you see on freak DE pass rushers like Clowney and Mack, And Solly is gonna have that speed rushing from the inside.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Reposting this article now that the original is buried under 5,000 tons of post debris.

Ask almost any Stanford player about the program's rigorous offseason physical training regimen, and the usual response is a cringe mixed with a deep breath.

But ask defensive lineman Solomon Thomas about the work, and it's hard to detect more than a shrug.

"It was fun," Thomas said. "How can you not enjoy grinding with your teammates at 6 a.m.?"

Those early-morning human tug-of-wars, sprints, John Deere cart pulls, and muscle-searing slow-release pull-ups -- some of the hallmarks of the program that sports performance director Shannon Turley has used to build the foundation of Stanford's celebrated trench strength - -- that's Thomas' version of "fun."

"I wanted to make my hands more active, more violent and more quick," Thomas said. "I wanted to better understand my weight distribution and body language."

Through some online research, Thomas found Stan Martyniouk -- an accomplished boxer esteemed by legend Manny Pacquiao for his explosiveness. Pacquiao picked Martyniouk as his training partner to help him ready for his 2014 fight against Chris Algieri, and Thomas picked Martyniouk to be the trainer who would introduce him to the sport of boxing this past summer.

"I wasn't just going to go through the motions," Thomas said. "I was going to respect Stan and his time, and give him all I had. Because everything we were doing -- hips, hands, hand-eye coordination and hand coordination -- I knew it would all translate to the D-line. Everything made sense to me."

Martyniouk and Thomas began work at the Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos, located in a nondescript strip mall about 20 minutes north of Stanford's campus. An autographed Frank Gore jersey is on display near the gym's ring. The Indianapolis Colts running back boxed there when he played for the San Francisco 49ers, while Oakland Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson are still offseason regulars.

Thomas became the next star athlete to throw his name into that mix. His 6-foot-3, 273-pound frame was one of the biggest to ever step into the boxing gym, but it had a way of flying under the radar. At first, Martyniouk didn't know Thomas was one of the best defensive players in college football.

"All I knew was that Solomon played football," Martyniouk said. "But he was quiet and he didn't say much. He just came to work."

It didn't take long for Martyniouk and the Undisputed Boxing Gym to witness what Stanford coaches have seen since Thomas' early days on campus: a muscle-laden specimen who can reach 11 feet into the air on his vertical jumps -- even while weighing 273 pounds.

"I was amazed at how quick and explosive he was, for how big he was," Martinyouk said. "He's just super muscular, super strong and fit."

"Honestly, he'd probably do really well if we put him into the ring right now," Martyniouk said. "From day one, Solomon just pushed himself to the limit. He would not stop until I told him to stop. Some clients have to take breaks, but he doesn't take breaks. When I told him to do something, he did it. He's a machine."

http://www.espn.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/104163/solomon-thomas-perfected-his-football-craft-in-the-boxing-ring

Wow in all my reading here I missed this. Damn now I'm really happy about the pick. Watching the pre draft I got the impression he was raised right.

Trash

Just saw that boxing article.. now I'm a bit more reassured. I bet hes got some hands to just overpower certain linemen