Clinton Solomon was forced to grow up without a true “father figure” in his life because his father has been in prison for the past 13 years on drug charges. Clinton attended Eastern Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas where he was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and running track. He played quarterback on the football team, passing for 885 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. He also had 290 rushing yards and 6 more touchdowns that year. As a senior Solomon served as the team captain. He passed for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 261 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was named to the Fort Worth Coca-Cola all-star team following his senior season. Clinton accepted a scholarship to Iowa where he was converted to a receiver. He caught 14 passes for 159 yards and 1 touchdown as a freshman. During the summer after his freshman year, Solomon was declared academically ineligible by the NCAA. He transferred to Iowa Central Community College in Dodge City, Iowa where he played his sophomore season. He transferred back to Iowa the following season where he totaled 58 receptions for 905 yards and 6 touchdowns on his way to second team all-big ten honors. He had another solid season as a senior, finishing with 46 receptions for 800 yards and a career high 7 touchdown receptions He also averaged nearly 18 yards per reception on the season, another career high.

Clinton Solomon has prototypical size for an NFL receiver. He is a physical receiver with solid hands and he doesn’t drop many catchable passes. He does a good job of using his big body to put himself in position to make the catch. He lacks great timed speed but he has been able to gain separation and make plays down the field in college. Once he has the ball in his hands he isn’t very elusive in the open field, but he will break tackles and gain additional yardage after the catch. He is a tough player who will make a difficult catch over the middle. Clinton lacks a great deal of experience with really only two years of division I starting experience after playing quarterback in high school. He is still learning the receiver position and needs to improve his route running as well as his blocking to become a more complete receiver at the next level. Clinton Solomon has all the physical tools you look for in an NFL receiver. He did run a poor combine 40 time (4.70), but he bounced back with a 4.55 at the Iowa pro day. He should be a second day pick in April.