Georgia Offensive Tackle Andrew Thomas: At a Glance

Let's get to know more about the GIants first-round draft pick, Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas.

Going into this draft, it was clear that the Giants were going to have to focus on building up their offensive line. Gettleman has now addressed this area in a significant way by selecting one of the top-rated offensive tackles in the 2020 draft class, Georgia's Andrew Thomas.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound junior was a three-year starter at Georgia. He made 15 starts at right tackle as a true freshman in 2017. He was then moved over to left tackle before the 2018 season.

One thing that immediately stands out about Thomas is his size. Gettleman has continuously emphasized the importance of adding hog mollies to have a successful offense.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Thomas is someone who will be a great fit for Gettleman’s system. He has now found a big tackle to protect Daniel Jones’ blind side for the next decade.

Having Thomas on the offensive line will benefit not only Jones but also Saquon Barkley. With Thomas’ blocking ability, Barkley is going to have more holes to run through this season. The Giants’ offense as a whole will improve because of this pick.

Thomas has the physicality to be a top offensive tackle in the NFL. Considering that the Giants will now have to deal with Chase Young twice a year, it is good to know that they now have someone who will not be pushed around by him. Thomas has the size and skill-set to adequately protect Jones, no matter who is lining up on the defensive line.

One of Thomas’ strengths is that he can play both tackle positions. This will allow him to have an immediate impact on the Giants’ offensive line, even if Nate Solder remains the team’s starting left tackle. Thomas would then start at right tackle for the Giants this season, and could move over to the blindside in 2021.

Offensive line coach Mark Colombo now has a talented young tackle to work with in his first season with the Giants. New offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and Columbo consistently had one of the best offensive lines in the league when they worked together in Dallas. 

The Giants still have some work to do to improve their o-line, but the addition of Thomas makes this unit significantly better.

RELATED: Draft Prospect Profile | OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
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ANDREW THOMAS | AT A GLANCE

• 2019 Walter Camp All-America 1st Team.
• Winner of the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy for 2019
• All-SEC First Team by Coaches and Associated Press
• Unanimous 2019 First-Team All-American selection
• 2018 Associated Press & Walter Camp All-America Second Team
• 2018 SI.com All-America First Team
• 2018 Coaches All-SEC First Team
• Started at right tackle in all 15 games as a true freshman in 2017
• Freshman All-America selection by ESPN, USA Today and the Football Writers Association of America

Head coach Joe Judge feels as though Thomas can quickly adjust to the NFL.

“He has a skill set that will allow him to compete early on,” Judge said during a conference call with reporters after the selection was made.

Gettleman talked about Thomas’s size, saying that. “The length that he has is really a defining feature of him physically."

Ultimately, as Gettleman emphasized during his conference call, this pick was about getting someone to protect his quarterback.

“Once you draft the quarterback, you get guys in front of him that will keep him upright,” he said.