Stanford’s Thomas goes to 49ers, McCaffrey to Panthers

Stanford's Solomon Thomas, left, greets NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2017 NFL football draft, Thursday, April 27, 2017, in Philadelphia.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke) less Stanford's Solomon Thomas, left, greets NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2017 NFL football draft, Thursday, April 27, 2017, in ... more Photo: Matt Rourke, Associated Press Photo: Matt Rourke, Associated Press Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Stanford’s Thomas goes to 49ers, McCaffrey to Panthers 1 / 13 Back to Gallery

In possibly the biggest NFL draft day ever for Stanford, defensive lineman Solomon Thomas went to the 49ers with the third pick Thursday and running back Christian McCaffrey to Carolina on the eighth pick.

That’s right: two picks in the top eight for Nerd Nation. Stanford had never had two players drafted that high in the same year.

What’s more, it won’t be long before Thomas is trying to tackle McCaffrey. The 49ers host the Panthers in the first week of the season.

“I can’t wait to play him,” Thomas said. “That’s my boy. That’s my best friend. I love him to death, and I can’t wait to play him.”

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Thomas became the highest defensive draft pick in program history. He was the school’s first defensive lineman to be picked in the first round in 45 years.

Then McCaffrey went to the Panthers, and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden pointed out all the ways that the Stanford star can change a game. He pointed out that Carolina just lost Ted Ginn Jr. to free agency. “Guess what?” Gruden said. “They get one of the premier returners in the history of college football.”

McCaffrey told ESPN that being picked by the Panthers was “a dream come true. It’s an unbelievable honor. So blessed to be a Carolina Panther.”

Thomas last season had 15 tackles-for-loss and eight sacks and won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12’s top defensive lineman. He left the Farm after his junior year, and now will play just 16 miles from Stanford Stadium.

Working the draft as an analyst for the NFL Network, Cardinal head coach David Shaw said that while top pick Myles Garrett was the top exterior pass rusher in the draft, Thomas was the best interior rusher. “He gets off the ball, and he’s relentless,” Shaw said.

Thomas’ excellent Sun Bowl performance against North Carolina, according to some NFL observers, elevated him from a second-round pick to one of the top prospects in the draft.

He was the first Stanford defensive player to go in the first round since cornerback Darrien Gordon in 1993 and the first defensive lineman since Greg Sampson in 1972.

“He’s fun to be around, but make no mistake about it, he’s competitive,” Shaw said. “He wants to win, he wants to excel, he wants to exceed anybody’s expectations for him. Don’t think he hasn’t heard all the ‘tweener’ talk for the last couple of months.”

McCaffrey was the Associated Press college Player of the Year in his sophomore season in 2015 and the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. That year he broke Barry Sanders’ NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a season with 3,864. The son of former Stanford and NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey rushed for a school-record 2,019 yards.

Last season he again led the nation in all-purpose yards with 211.55 per game and led the Pac-12 in rushing with 1,603 yards.

Analyst Mike Mayock of the NFL Network said McCaffrey “has a similar body type to LeSean McCoy (of the Bills), 2 pounds different. … I love LeSean McCoy, and this kid is every bit as athletic.

“At Stanford he averaged 30 touches a game the last two years. For people who say he can’t carry a major load, I beg to differ.”

“The thing with Christian,” Shaw said, “is you’re getting a starter at running back. You’re getting a guy who could start as a slot receiver. He could start as an outside receiver. Oh, by the way, he can start in your kickoff returns and your punt returns. He’s a special, special guy who can affect the game in so many different ways.”

The Cardinal have had a first-round draft pick in each of the past three years. Josh Garnett was taken at No. 28 by the 49ers last year and Andrus Peat at No. 13 by the Saints in 2015.

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald

McKinley’s tribute to his grandmother

When Takkarist McKinley was selected by Atlanta with the 26th pick of the first round, he didn’t come to the stage empty-handed.

The UCLA defensive end held a large portrait of his late grandmother, Myrtle Collins. She had helped raise him in Richmond. His father was never a presence in his life, and his mother abandoned him when he was 5, leaving Collins, an aunt and a cousin to nurture him. As he got older, he helped Collins as her health deteriorated.

In July 2011, he made a promise to her on her hospital bed: He would leave the mean streets of Richmond, play in Division I and in the NFL. She died moments later, he said.

After he was picked Thursday, he talked about Collins with emotion. “I probably wouldn’t be here without her,” he said.

— Tom FitzGerald