Troy's Javon Solomon Hopes to Join Next Generation of NFL Pass Rushers
The last truly productive pass rusher from Troy University to come to the NFL was Osi Umenyiora, the New York Giants' second-round pick in the 2003 draft.
Javon Solomon, who broke most of Umenyiora's school records, hopes to be the next defensive gem to enjoy as lengthy and productive career as Umenyiora did.
Solomon, whose 16 sacks toppled Umenyiora's 15 set in 2002 and whose four sacks against Louisiana-Monroe on November 11 tied Umenyiora's school record for most sacks in a single game (earning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for that performance), is in Indianapolis this week, fresh off a successful stint at the Reese's Senior Bowl.
Although he's considered somewhat undersized for an edge rusher--he stands a shade just under 6-foot-1 and tipped the scales at 250 pounds--Solomon has an 80-inch wingspan that has served him well as a pass rusher.
The Tallahassee, Florida native finished his college career with 33 sacks, a new Troy record that topped teammate Richard Jibunor’s 29.5 during his time at Troy and also surpassed the 27.5-sack mark set by future Pro Football Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware (2001-2004).
Yes, the production is there, but Solomon, whose 16 sacks led all of college football in 2023, is unwilling to rest on his laurels with so much of his football-playing future at stake.
"I gotta go out here and be able to show that I'm a football player at the end of the day," he told reporters at the combine on Wednesday. "When it comes to drills, just be able to move well is something that I have to be able to go out there and accomplish. And that's something that I plan on doing."
Solomon revealed that he's been hard at work training at EXOS in Pensacola, whose program has further boosted his confidence to compete and surpass some of his completion from bigger programs.
Solomon is also driven by the fact that when he came out of high school, scores of college programs weren't exactly banging down his door with scholarship offers in hand.
Solomon decided to go with Troy University, nestled in a small community in Alabama, where he could focus on polishing his craft as he continued eyeing a potential NFL career.
"It means the most to me because I was able to just go there and focus on what I wanted to do to perfect my craft and become who I am today," he said. "Being in Troy is small, but you make so many relationships with different people. ... I appreciate them. And being at Troy is a decision I don't regret."
Solomon has primarily been more of an outside linebacker, but he also has experience playing with his hand in the dirt and dropping into coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Solomon finished with an impressive 91.4 true pass set pass rush grade and an eye-opening 17.1 pass-rush win rate.
The versatility he showed helped him further, even if there were parts here and there that weren't as up-to-speed as he would have liked.
"I think that helped elevate my game," he said. "I don't think it held me back at all just 'cause I still had the chance to get out wide, pass rush off the edge. But when it came to that run game being truly in the trenches now, I think that truly kind of helped me in a way that now I can sell myself as not only a pass rusher but a run stopper.
While his devotion to becoming a complete player is admirable, his pass-rushing prowess will likely be his ticket to the NFL.
"I see pass rush as like a dance. It means a lot to me because I feel like there's a big versatility to it," he said. "I grew up watching Von Miller, Khalil [Mack]...Mack being more of a power guy, Miller more finesse, speed guy. But once you combine them both, I feel like that's where you get those Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett nowadays, so you see those. That was big for me."
So, too, was the coaching he received along the way, which he credited for keeping him on the right path toward the next level.
"I love to learn. I'm asking everybody--one of my teammates [Jake Andrews of the Patriots] was just in this process last year--and the big thing he told me was just be me. He said, 'Don't try to put on a facade for anybody because, at the end of the day, the teams want the real you.'"
That's what Solomon plans to show talent evaluators this week and in the weeks leading up to the draft as he looks to add his name to the growing list of 35 alumni who have gone on to the NFL.
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