First Impression of Texans DE Solomon Byrd

What does the former USC defensive end bring to Houston?

With the 238th Overall pick, the Houston Texans select:

Solomon Byrd, EDGE – USC

Measurables:

• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 255 lbs.
• Arm: 33”
• Hand: 9 ¾”
• 40-Yard Dash: 5.01 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 32.0”
• Broad Jump: 9’6”
• NFL NGS – 5.64 – candidate for bottom of roster or practice squad

Awards:

• FWAA Freshman All-American, 2019

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Solomon Byrd is a productive and experienced edge-rusher that had a career spanning four years at Wyoming and two at USC, where he excelled. In his two year career in Southern California, Byrd appeared in 17 games, tallied 77 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks.

At both schools, his heavy hands and powerful arms yielded multi-sack campaigns. Unfortunately, his poor athletic score, a 5.64 from NFL’s Next Gen Stats, may be a weakness he’s unable to overcome.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com mentions:

plays with solid aggression and play strength but finds himself entangled with blockers more than he should. He can be creative when attacking tackles at the top of the rush, but he struggled to get much done when tasked with taking on some of the more talented opponents on the schedule. Byrd possesses certain play features that are worthy of consideration, but he might not have enough above-average qualities to make much of a mark in the league.

Solomon Byrd has shown an ability to overcome his lack of athleticism with power and a menagerie of moves when attacking the line of scrimmage. But, without the get-off speed, elusiveness, or other exceptional ability to compliment his technique, he will have a hard time finding a spot in the NFL.

What do you think, though? I may be bearish, but I’ve been wrong plenty of times before. Let us know what you think in the comments below!