If the NY Giants’ offensive line is going to improve, and the offense live up to lofty expectations, Andrew Thomas will need to make great strides
Much of the NY Giants’ success this season on offense hinges on the offensive line making significant strides following a significantly disappointing 2020 campaign.
Moreover, much of the Giants‘ offensive line’s success or failure will be tied to the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Andrew Thomas, proving that he is truly that caliber of player.
Last season, Thomas was woefully inconsistent, allowing pressure on 14 percent of his offensive snaps through the first seven weeks of the season, according to Pro Football Focus, but seemed to improve down the stretch.
Thomas’ second half of the season has ESPN optimistic that the NY Giants’ left tackle will not only improve in his sophomore campaign but gives reason to believe he could be among the breakout stars throughout the entire league:
"Criticism abounded, but Thomas stuck with it and put together a solid second half of the season. His 63.5 pass-block grade from Week 8 on was a huge upgrade and showed that he could succeed at the NFL level. He cut his pressure rate by more than half, dropping all the way to 6.1%. There’s reason to believe he can continue down that path and make another solid jump in 2021."
Why NY Giants’ Andrew Thomas has chance to breakout in 2021
Much of Thomas’ success over the final eight weeks of 2020 came from reverting to techniques he deployed during his collegiate career at the University of Georgia, which propelled him to become a top-five pick.
“He looks much more poised and in control now,” Paul Alexander, who trained Thomas to prepare for the draft told FanSided last fall. “This is the kid I watched dominate at Georgia. The biggest change is he’s much more poised and much more patient each snap.”
Offensive line guru Duke Manyweather believes that Thomas has all of the tools and traits to make marked strides in 2021.
“I think you’ll see mass improvement from Andrew Thomas,” Manyweather said, during a recent appearance on FanSided’s The Matt Lombardo Show podcast. “I think Andrew Thomas down the stretch in the second half last year found his way and got into groove.
“That Giants’ offensive line, and team dealt with some adversity last year with injuries and what went on with the coaching change midway through the year, and all the drama that went with that. You add in a coach like Rob Sale, a no-nonsense type of guy, I think with not only Thomas but that entire line will improve.”
Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com, Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL