Solomon Thomas among top rookie edge rushers in QB pressures

San Francisco 49ers rookie defensive end Solomon Thomas isn’t getting the sacks that we’d like, and there are plays where he simply isn’t a factor, but you can’t tell everything from the stat sheet — conventional stat sheets at least.

On Tuesday, Pro Football Focus Tweeted a graphic showing the top rookie edge rushers as far as quarterback pressures go, and Thomas has done well in that area with 16. He is the lowest in that graphic, though, below Takkarist McKinley of the Atlanta Falcons (18), Derek Barnett of the Philadelphia Eagles (22), Deatrich Wise of the New England Patriots (24) and Carl Lawson of the Cincinnati Bengals (31).

All of the players on that list were drafted after Thomas. Barnett and McKinley went in the first round, while both Lawson and Wise went in the fourth round. It is worth noting, of course, that all of the guys on that list ahead of Thomas are playing for better defenses and better teams.

The future is bright for Thomas, though I’d like to see an improvement in his arsenal of pass-rushing moves. When he gets beaten off the snap, I rarely see him make a second move to get back after the quarterback. He has dropped into coverage a few times and has looked good there, but hopefully he can get some more sacks before the season is done.