Philadelphia Eagles versus San Francisco 49ers: A Q&A with Niner Noise

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 08: Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, talks to a referee during overtime during the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /

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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

ITI: Who is Solomon Thomas? Give us an idea of how good this guy can become.

Niner Noise: Week 6 against the Redskins was Thomas’ best game as a pro. I think he ended up being nominated for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week afterwards. Thomas took a step back last week versus the Cowboys, but it’s not a shock to see him going through some early struggles.

From what I’ve seen on tape, Thomas is a bit over-aggressive and plays with a pad level a bit too high, but those are the same mistakes defensive tackle DeForest Buckner made early in his rookie season. Buckner’s turned it around and is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL this year, per Pro Football Focus.

Thomas’ ceiling is probably around that of Buckner’s. If he makes some notable strides in the second half of 2017, I think San Francisco has something special.

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