RD 1 (4): OT Andrew Thomas
After watching the tackle position allow defenders into the backfield like they were turnstiles allowing passengers through in a New York City subway station throughout the 2019 season, it was apparent that the NY Giants needed to upgrade the tackle position in a big way.
While many fans (myself included) desperately wanted Gettleman to trade back and acquire more draft capital, the trade offers just weren’t there for Big Blue and so Gettleman addressed the need at the tackle position by going with Andrew Thomas out of the University of Georgia.
This pick wasn’t sexy. It wasn’t the super athletic Isaiah Simmons who’s versatility had him labeled as a “defensive unicorn”. It wasn’t NFL Combine standouts Tristan Wirfs or Mekhi Becton who wowed evaluators with the athletic prowess they exhibited despite their mammoth size. While it wasn’t a sexy pick, it was the correct pick.
Thomas had been the consensus top left tackle prospect throughout the collegiate season with Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs, and Mekhi Becton following behind him. Thomas wasn’t flashy and didn’t have a ton of combine buzz, he just went out and did his job and kept quarterback Jake Fromm clean.
Additionally, there were no questions in regard to whether or not Thomas could handle the left tackle position in the NFL, as he was an extremely productive left tackle most of his career at Georgia.
The same could not be said for Wills who was a right tackle and projected more as a right tackle in the NFL, or Wirfs who was also primarily a right tackle who best fit at either right tackle or guard in the pros. With Becton, he was more of a developmental project who needed to work on this technique.
As a result, the Giants went with the tackle with the least question marks surrounding his game and drafted the tackle with the highest floor of any tackle in the draft. That is a critical thing when selecting a player that high in the draft. The Giants were wise to get a sure-fire left tackle with few concerns.
This is especially true, given that New York invested the second overall pick in the 2018 draft on a running back and the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft on their franchise quarterback. It would have been criminal negligence if they had not addressed the offensive line after using such high picks on Barkley and Jones.
With Thomas, the Giants now have their left tackle of the future. By locking down the left tackle spot, they can allow Nate Solder, Cameron Fleming, Nick Gates, and Matt Peart (more to come on him) to compete for the right tackle position.
With Andrew Thomas now acting as the anchor of the offensive line, the NY Giants have significantly upgraded perhaps their biggest need.
It should be noted that having a left tackle on a rookie deal will also likely help the financial situation of New York for the next five years, making this pick even more substantially beneficial.