While the NY Giants have yet to play an official game this season, they have to be happy with what they have seen from first-round pick Andrew Thomas so far.
Heading into the NFL Draft, it was clear the NY Giants were in need of a legitimate offensive tackle to improve their offensive line.
For nearly all of the 2019-2020 college football season through the time leading up to the 2020 NFL Combine, Andrew Thomas was the consensus top offensive tackle available in the 2020 NFL Draft on nearly every draft expert’s big board.
However, after Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, and Jedrick Wills all outperformed expectations at the NFL Combine workouts, and a recency bias developed that led many to question if some or all of the trio had leapfrogged Thomas as the best available tackle.
In the end, Dave Gettleman and the NY Giants would decide that Andrew Thomas was the best of the bunch, selecting him as the first offensive lineman in the draft with the fourth overall selection.
So far, there seems to be a lot to like from the former Georgia Bulldog from his limited action with the NY Giants.
That’s not to say that that the rookie has been perfect in camp so far, far from it. However, reports from new offensive line coach, Marc Colombo suggest that Thomas is extremely self-aware of the few deficiencies he has and is constantly working to improve his technique.
The hand striking ability of Thomas is a major component of what the rookie and Colombo have been working on fine-tuning.
Thomas has struggled a bit in one-on-one matchups with veteran pass rushers, which can be expected as rookie offensive linemen often have to work to become acclimated to the accelerated speed of the game and the advanced technique that NFL pass rushers have versus their collegiate counterparts.
In the NY Giants’ first scrimmage of the season, Thomas performed adequately in pass protection and was credited with a forced fumble on a hustle play where he made a big hit on an interception return by Darnay Holmes, dislodging the ball in the process.
It is always promising to see offensive linemen looking to make plays like that, it earns them the respect of their teammates and coaches, and can translate into game-changing plays in real games.
So far, Thomas has had a lot of praise heaped on him for his performance in camp. Colombo and new head coach Joe Judge have both spoken extremely highly of their new tackle. Pass rusher and former Georgia teammate Lorenzo Carter has also praised Thomas for the skills he has shown so far.
These are excellent signs for the rookie tackle early on in camp.
While there is certainly a lot more work for Thomas to do to become acclimated with the tackle position in the National Football League, the NY Giants staff has to be happy with the progress that he has shown, his willingness to learn, and the level of hustle he has exhibited thus far.
As we’ve discussed on this site, it’s imperative that Thomas is the starter at left tackle from day one. With Nate Solder out of the picture that seems pretty much like a lock now, and if he’s going to have some bumps in the road early on better it be in 2020 when Big Blue isn’t expected to seriously compete.
The progress and work ethic that Thomas has shown so far in camp seem to be early indicators that the NY Giants may have finally found their cornerstone tackle of the future, something that has been firm atop the wish list of many fans of the GMEN for years.