The New York Giants surprised the football world again on Thursday, selecting Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.
While the team needed a new offensive tackle, precious few in the media believed it would be Thomas. However, NFL executives, scouts and coaches never wavered on their belief that Thomas was top dog, and now he’s a Giant.
“I work hard every day to be the best. I don’t understand why you would play this game if you don’t want to be the best. It definitely meant something,” Thomas said of being the first offensive tackle off the board.
“Obviously you see it with social media and things like that. For me, I just try to focus on what I can control. I can’t control what other guys may do or what the media may say. All I can do is work on my craft and do what I need to do to be prepared when I step on the field.”
Thomas also dropped a clue as to why general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge would be so high on him in comparison to the other offensive tackles, and it had more to do with the mental part of the game.
“Confidence comes with preparation, understanding the playbook, learning from the vets week in and week out,” Thomas said. “Going against guys that have been playing in the league for 10 years, who are very good at what they do, so for me, it’s a mental thing and like I said, having confidence in myself for my preparation.”
Unlike some of the other top offensive tackle prospects who were either relegated to the right side or project to guard at the NFL level, Thomas has proven himself to be a starting-caliber swing tackle. He can play on either the left side or the right side, and he believes that certainly factored into the team’s decision to take him fourth overall.
“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,” Thomas said.
Where Thomas plays with the Giants remains to be seen, but he’ll likely compete at both tackle spots and ultimately settle in at right tackle until Nate Solder’s contract expires.
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