Most prospects present at the NFL combine possess the dream of one day playing in the league. But Troy edge rusher Javon Solomon went one step further with his dream, which he shared in front of reporters on February 28.
Solomon expressed a very strong desire to play with Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt.
“Without formally [meeting], I did talk to the Steelers a little bit and playing behind T.J. Watt would be a dream of mine just because I’ve been a fan of the game long before I was a player,” Solomon told the media, via Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney. “I like all these different paths. These guys are truly amazing. So, to learn from any of these guys would be a dream of mine.”
NFL teams aren’t likely to pursue Solomon early in the 2024 NFL draft. In seemingly the best scenario, Solomon could see his draft stock rise to the third round.
But whoever does pick him will be getting a prospect who produced great statistics in the Sun Belt conference during his college career.
In 52 college games, Solomon posted 33 sacks with 49.5 tackles for loss. He also had 4 forced fumbles, 2 pass defenses and 1 interception with 183 total tackles.
During 2023, Solomon registered 16 sacks with 18 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles.
Projecting the Draft Value of LB Javon Solomon
Of the major NFL draft analysis websites, Pro Football Focus holds Solomon in the highest regard. PFF ranked Solomon at No. 92 overall in the 2024 draft class, slotting him as a late third-round pick on Day 2.
The big boards at ESPN and Bleacher Report project Solomon as a Day 3 prospect. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder likes a lot of the traits Solomon has to offer.
“Solomon is an intriguing pass-rusher who was highly productive in college with 33 sacks over the last four years,” wrote Holder. “Thanks to his good use of hands and solid athleticism, he’s shown a handful of moves that he can win with and impressive bend to turn a tight corner.
But, Holder also argued that the Troy linebacker will struggle against the run at the NFL level. Holder placed a fifth-round grade on the Troy product.
“He had a hard time holding his ground in the Sun Belt conference, and he’s already fairly full-framed,” added the Bleacher Report scout.
“With that being said, the former Trojan does have long arms, especially at his height. Overall, he’d be a good fit as a standup outside linebacker who can contribute on passing downs.”
Pittsburgh’s Edge Rushing Depth Heading Into Free Agency
With Watt still in his prime and Alex Highsmith a Pro Bowl-caliber player, the Steelers aren’t in need of another elite edge rusher. But they could look to add depth in the later rounds of the 2024 draft.
The Steelers selected Nick Herbig in the fourth round last year. He didn’t play a lot as a rookie. But with his opportunities, he recorded 3 sacks with 5 tackles for loss and 3 quarterback hits.
Outside of Herbig, though, Kyron Johnson and Jeremiah Moon are the other outside linebackers the Steelers have under contract for the 2024 season. Veteran Markus Golden, who supplied good depth for Pittsburgh last fall, will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
The Steelers are probably a candidate to add veteran depth to pair with Herbig along the edge. However, by Day 3 of the draft, Solomon could be an intriguing option to develop with Herbig.
Solomon’s college production speaks for itself, and then under Watt’s tutelage, perhaps Solomon could flourish. At the very least, if playing with Watt is truly his dream, the Steelers drafting Solomon should motivate the Troy prospect.
The Steelers do not have a fifth-round pick. But they hold two fourth-round selections along with picks in the sixth and seventh rounds this year.
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