For years, the New York Giants have had a need along the offensive line and with an opportunity to improve that unit, they selected Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The offensive line needed to improve prior to Dave Gettleman’s arrival and now, with this pick, the general manager believes the team has taken a step toward doing that once and for all.
In years since Gettleman’s arrival, he has tried to patch up the o-line with band aids via free agency (which usually results in overspending), and even got creative by moving 2015 first-round bust Ereck Flowers to a new spot on the line before ultimately cutting ties.
The offensive line hadn’t improved much year-to-year, if at all.
Gettleman has always stressed his love of what he refers to as “hog mollies.” Well, he finally took a Hog Molly and although it’s not an exciting skilled player, Giants fans should be excited about the pick.
In recent years, Giants fans have been spoiled with the picks that have come out of the first round — many at skill positions. In 2019, the Giants found their successor for Eli Manning as well as what they hope are starters on the defensive side of the ball for many years to come in defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and cornerback DeAndre Baker.
In 2018, Big Blue selected what many considered the best talent in the draft when they selected running back Saquon Barkley second overall, and in 2017 the Giants took tight end Evan Engram with the 23rd overall pick.
With the Giants investing much of their future in Barkley and Jones, they needed to improve the offensive line, which Gettleman believes the selection of Thomas will do just that.
Thomas is the third offensive lineman to be drafted in the first round by the Giants in the last 10 years and the first made by Dave Gettleman. This pick was what some called a safe one:
The #Giants have always looked hard at tackle, and that’s exactly what they do: The first off the board at No. 4 is #Georgia LT Andrew Thomas. The cleanest and safest prospect of the tackles.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2020
As for the hope that Thomas is a starter for years to come, his college coach had high praise and thinks he’s going to be a starter for a long time as he expressed just hours before the draft:
Yes, somebody should trade up for Andrew Thomas.@KirbySmartUGA @nflnetwork #NFLNow pic.twitter.com/Oz6S7seJqB
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) April 23, 2020
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