#51

Solomon Byrd

Former defensive end at USC. 2023: 4.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, 44 tackles.

DE · USC · Sr. · #51

6′3″ · 250 lb · Palmdale, CA

CFB Index 68 · #107 of 418 edge rushersMedium confidenceHouston — drafted 2024, Rd 7, Pick 18, #238 overall

The story

Former defensive end at USC. 2023: 4.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, 44 tackles.

Signed as a 2-star recruit to Wyoming in 2018.
Transferred from Wyoming to USC in 2022.
Drafted round 7 by the Houston in 2024.

His career, year by year

Recruiting

2★

SDE recruit

No. 2902 nationally · Signed with Wyoming

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

How it ended

Five seasons at USC, 18 sacks — drafted at #238 overall by Houston.

His career

He barely played early on. Then he did not come off the field.

20183 games

Signed with Wyoming2-star out of William Knight

202211 games

The role got bigger.

Entered the portal

2024

Drafted by Houstonround 7, pick 238

Career arc

Recruit

★★

#2902 national

CFB

College

2 teams

2018–2023

NFL

NFL Draft

R7 · #238

Houston · 2024

Coaching lineage · 2018–2023

3 coaches

2018–2019

Clay Helton

USC

2021

Donte Williams

USC

era →

2022–2023

Lincoln Riley

USC

era →

Played under 3 different head coaches: Clay Helton, Donte Williams, and Lincoln Riley. Multi-era developmental context.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

HoustonEntering 3rd NFL season

#238Rd 7 · Pick 18

HoustonEntering 3rd NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2023 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2018Wyoming6-6HC: Craig Bohl · Run-heavy

2019Wyoming8-5HC: Craig Bohl · Run-heavy

2021Wyoming7-6HC: Craig Bohl · Run-heavy

2022USC11-3HC: Lincoln Riley · Balanced

2023USC8-5HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning, slow tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

68Quality starter #107 of 418?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: sacks (94th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (90th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Sacks#163 / 2842 · 94th pct

4.5

Tackles for loss#259 / 2842 · 90th pct

7.5

QB hurries#574 / 2842 · 74th pct

Solo tackles#714 / 2842 · 74th pct

Tackles#744 / 2842 · 73rd pct

Passes defended#1113 / 2842 · 50th pct

Forced fumbles#54 / 710 · 46th pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2023 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	3.7	0.6	0.4	0.0
Road5g	3.6	0.7	0.4	0.2

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	3.4	0.6	0.5	0.1
Weeks 8+5g	4.0	0.6	0.2	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Lincoln Riley

Pass share

46.0%

97 pass / 114 run

Plays / game

70.3

3 games

Team sack rate

2.0%

102 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning.

Awards

Player standing · 2023

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

68 · #107 of 418 edge rushers

Two-star recruit. Now #107 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2023	USC	44	26	7.5	4.5	1	--	--
2022	USC	27	18	7.5	4.0	1	--	--
2021	Wyoming	37	21	3.5	3.5	--	--	--
2019	Wyoming	45	22	9.5	6.5	1	--	--
2018	Wyoming	5	2	0.0	0.0	--	--	--
Career		158	89	28.0	18.5	3	--	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 6 · 2023

W 43–41

vs Arizona

3 TOT · 1 SOLO

Edged out Arizona at home in a shootout.

With C. Williams — 219 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 78.3 · 41 rush yds (12 car) · 3 TD · E. Czaplicki — 46 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 55 LONG

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2023 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	SACK	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	W 56-28vs San José State	1	0	0.5	0.5	—	0
Wk 1	W 66-14vs Nevada	4	2	1.0	1.0	—	0
Wk 4	W 42-28@ Arizona State	5	5	3.0	2.0	—	0	2 sacks
Wk 5	W 48-41@ Colorado	3	3	0.0	0.0	—	1
Wk 6	W 43-41vs Arizona	3	1	0.0	0.0	—	0
Wk 7	L 20-48@ Notre Dame	4	2	0.0	0.0	—	0
Wk 8	L 32-34vs Utah	7	4	1.0	0.0	—	0	Season-high 7 tackles
Wk 9	W 50-49@ California	2	1	0.5	0.0	—	0
Wk 10	L 42-52vs Washington	3	1	0.0	0.0	—	0
Wk 11	L 27-36@ Oregon	4	3	0.0	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	L 20-38vs UCLA	4	2	1.5	1.0	—	0
Bowl	W 42-28vs Louisville	4	2	0.0	0.0	—	0
Total		44	26	7.5	4.5	—	1

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology