49ers 2017 NFL Draft Recap: Best and Worst San Francisco Picks

Apr 28, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; (l to r) San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch , linebacker Reuben Foster , defensive lineman Soloman Thomas , and head coach Kyle Shanahan pose for photos during the press conference at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Solomon Thomas (Stanford) is selected as the number 3 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Safest Pick

Solomon Thomas [DE] Stanford

Some may have been underwhelmed by the 49ers taking a defensive lineman with their first pick for the third straight year, but Solomon Thomas carries very little in the way of risk and has high upside.

Thomas is undersized and, at his worst, is a player who can be completely taken out of the run game by blockers and isn’t able to get round the edge.

But his size did not prevent him from making an impact as an interior pass rusher, his power, quickness and motor enabling him to be a consistent disruptor on the inside.

Next: 49ers Exercise Fifth-Year Option on Defensive Back Jimmie Ward

Interior pass rush is a nightmare for any quarterback to deal with at any level of the sport and, even if he cannot fix his flaws, Thomas should be able to continue to put pressure in the face of opposing signal-callers, a quality that is extremely valuable to the 49ers.