Did 49ers hit or reach on their last 6 top-10 NFL Draft picks?

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San Francisco 49ers defensive end Solomon Thomas (94) Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers 2017 top-10 NFL Draft pick: Solomon Thomas

No. 3 overall

In the 2017 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected defensive lineman Solomon Thomas out of Stanford with the third overall selection. Thomas was drafted to play defensive end and just never turned into the edge rusher the Niners were looking for.

In his first three seasons, he only racked up six sacks. In 2020, he was moved to the interior of the defensive line where he could be more effective with his natural affinity as a run stopper.

Just as Nick Bosa did, Thomas also got injured in the second game of 2020 with a torn ACL causing him to miss the remainder of the season. The injury effectively ended his tenure with San Francisco, as he wasn’t extended or re-signed, and Thomas then ended up signing with Las Vegas Raiders on a one-year deal to begin 2021.

If the 2017 NFL Draft was redrafted, it’s almost a consensus Thomas would not be a first-round selection, let alone a top-10 player.

In terms of players drafted after him in the first round, some names that first come to mind are All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes, perennial All-Pro edge rusher and single-season sack leader T.J. Watt and All-Pro safety Jamal Adams.

Hit or Reach: Extreme Reach