Javon Solomon, EDGE, Troy
Size:
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 246 pounds
Arm Length: 33 7/8"
Hand Size: 10 3/4"
Accomplishments:
2023’s sack leader (FBS; 16) • Third Team All-Sun Belt (2022) • First Team All-Sun Belt (2021)
“Javon Solomon has unique tools to be a contributor as a pass rusher on known passing downs.”
Strengths:
Pass-rush upside
Functional strength
Leverage/plays with great pad level
Concerns:
Size
Ability to anchor against run
Specific usage
Film Analysis:
Javon Solomon enters the 2024 NFL Draft coming off a season in which he had his best year with 55 tackles, 16 sacks, and three forced fumbles. The 16 sacks were an FBS high for the 2023 season.
Solomon’s quick first step, instincts as a pass rusher, and good pad level showcase an opportunity for him to succeed in the NFL as a pass rusher. As a pass rusher, Solomon can win in multiple ways, as he will play the true edge position or align over the OG. From the edge position, Solomon uses a quick first step to dictate the rush. Solomon can choose to win around the arc and use his low pad level to get under the offensive tackle with good fluidity in his hips to be able to turn the corner and get to the quarterback. Solomon can align as a wide-angle rusher where he isolates the offensive lineman, puts them in space, and can win. Solomon can also work a two-swipe, rip move, and cross-chop to beat the offensive lineman with hand counters. Solomon is a dynamic enough athlete to work the outside track but also cross face and counter to the inside track—he’s able to win both ways. The other way Solomon can be utilized is as a rusher who blitzes the A and B-gaps to create interior pressure.
The concern about Solomon is his ability to hold up against the run. At 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, Solomon fights to sustain the line of scrimmage on the edge. But offensive linemen who are bigger and stronger can overwhelm Solomon, forcing him to try and spin out of the block, or they will displace him off the line of scrimmage.
Overall, Solomon's impact early in his career in the NFL will be as a designated pass rusher and on special teams.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Role Specific Contributor
Written By: Keith Sanchez
Exposures: Kansas State (2023), Appalachian State (2023), Duke (2023)
