Georgia football has not seen another guy like Andrew Thomas.
As a true freshman out of Atlanta’s private Pace Academy, Thomas was thrust into the starting lineup early. He started for the Dawgs for three years, and has been a dynamic left tackle for the last two SECCG runs. As a true freshman, he started in the Rose Bowl and national championship game.
After his junior year, Thomas declared for the draft, because he was so widely considered to be pro-ready. Mock drafts have him going in the first round of the NFL draft, as high as top five.
He accompanies offensive classmates D’Andre Swift, Jake Fromm, Isaiah Wilson and Solomon Kindley, as they depart UGA early for the league. They are five of the 10 Georgia players at this year’s NFL combine.
With the losses of Thomas, Wilson, Kindley and transfer Cade Mays to the so-called Great Wall of Georgia, and the departure of great line coach Sam Pittman to be the head coach at Arkansas, new line coach Matt Luke has his hands full in Athens.
The quality talent is there on hand to compete, but losing four starters, and even more so a guy like Andrew Thomas, is a big blow.
Many consider Thomas the best offensive tackle in UGA history.