The New York Giants could improve at multiple positions because of Andrew Thomas:
When the New York Giants drafted Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, they knew what they were receiving in the left tackle. Thomas had the highest floor of any prospects at the position, making him a potential starter from day one on the offensive line for Big Blue.
There have been many former players and coaches that have advocated for Thomas and his abilities at the next level.
“I didn’t like it. I loved it,†O’Hara told Big Blue View. “Andrew Thomas was No. 1 on my list of left tackles.â€
He stated Thomas was “arguably the best left tackle in college football the last two years.â€
“I had zero question marks about Andrew Thomas, really. The more I learned about him the more I appreciated how good he was,†O’Hara said. “Two things that jumped out at me on film. I thought he had a really good anchor. You did not see him get pushed back into the pocket when he got a bullrush he could sit it down. … I thought his run-blocking was phenomenal.â€
“I literally had no question marks about him.â€
Thomas brings a pro-level skill set to the Giants. His ability to hunker down and pass protection and solidify the left tackle spot and move the line of scrimmage and the run game is essential for the success of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley.
The positive traits the Georgia stand out is bringing to New York are plentiful. He is a bruising tackle with a downhill mindset, matching up well in a man/power scheme. When facing blockers 1v1, Thomas stands out. In addition, he’s always looking for extra work and someone to hit. His incredibly strong and heavy hands allow him to punch pass rushers away and stall them in their tracks. His ability to recover once beat is also a pro of his game, but that doesn’t mean he is void of weaknesses.
Thomas can be caught with his hands high and wide at times, giving pass rushers leverage to move him aside. New offensive line coach Mark Colombo, who is a true disciplinarian and former player, should be able to refine his technique. Teaching Thomas to keep his elbows in and target the inside pad is where he will see the most improvement.
However, Thomas will be beneficial across-the-board, meaning not only Daniel Jones well see an advantage. I believe left guard will Hernandez will also see an uptick in efficiency, simply because his counterpart will be more effective. Nate’s older allowed 11 sacks in 2019, which was the most of any tackle in the NFL. If Thomas can perform at a higher level, Hernandez should see more success. The Giants could certainly use a better protection scheme to provide Jones with more time in the pocket, and Barkley will more running lanes to exploit.
There’s always the possibility that Thomas starts off at right tackle, which would give the Giants the luxury of transferring them over to the left side when Solder and his dead cap decreases exponentially in 2021. The Giants’ first-round pick has experience at right tackle, as he stated several weeks ago after being drafted.
Yeah, at Georgia I started off at right tackle as a freshman and made the transition my sophomore year. I played at left tackle for the next two years. I think that definitely helps. Having experience playing both sides will be something that will be an asset for me.