Tag: Giants Draft

Giants say why they chose Georgia OT Andrew Thomas at #4

New York Giants explain why they took Georgia football OT Andrew Thomas with the #4 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

On Thursday’s first-round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Georgia OT Andrew Thomas with No. 4 pick.

Thomas was the first offensive lineman taken in the draft that is full of talented guys up front like Jedrick Wills who went at No. 10 to the Browns, Mekhi Becton who went No. 11 to the Jets and Tristan Wirfs who went at No. 13 to the Buccaneers.

Following the Giants selection, GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge spoke to reporters about exactly why Andrew Thomas was the right pick for them.

Gettleman said:

 “He’s big, he’s long, he’s strong, he can bend. He can anchor in pass (protection). He’s very athletic in the open field, we are just really excited to have him, and continue to build this team properly.”

“Andrew certainly has a hell of a pedigree, a three-year starter in the Southeast Conference. He’s played against some real quality defensive ends during his college career. He has played big-time ball in front of a lot of people.”

Judge said:

 “I’ll tell you what, his skill-set favors his opportunity to come in and contribute. He’s long, he’s a good athlete, he has good short area redirect.”

“One thing that sticks out about him is when you watch the top pass rushers, with the exception of maybe a couple in this draft, they have to go against him. You watch his college tape and he is going against all the guys that you are going to see get drafted in the next couple of days. He does a heck of job on them, you see him compete, you see him play big in big games and that’s important.”

NY Giants fans, get to know your new OT Andrew Thomas

New York Giants fans, get to know your new offensive tackle Andrew Thomas out of Georgia football.

With the fourth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the New York Giants took Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas.

Thomas has been considered the top rated offensive tackle in this draft class since the start of last season, and on Thursday the Giants made it official, making him the first tackle off the board.

Giants fans, you may have wanted a pick with a little more pop to it, but as far as offensive linemen go, he’s as good as it gets.

Thomas came to Georgia as a 4-star recruit out of Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Thomas was ranked as the nation’s No. 45 overall player and as the ninth ranked offensive tackle in the class of 2017.

He enrolled at Georgia on May 30, 2017 and never looked back.

He was a day one starter for the red and black, originally creating holes for tailbacks Nick Chubb and Sony Michel en route to a College Football Playoff berth and eventually a shot at the national title.

He’s done it on the biggest stage week in and week out, going up against the country’s most elite pass rushers in the SEC.

He rarely lost a battle, and there’s proof of it in this footage of Georgia vs LSU in the 2019 SEC Championship Game where Thomas shut down defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson, a projected top-15 pick, all day long.

While on the NFL Network today, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said that Thomas is a guy who will be a 12-14 year starter in the pros and that no tackle in this class has done it at a higher level than Thomas has over the last three years.

Thomas’ skills extend way beyond the football field, though. For as long as he can remember, Thomas has had a strong interest in music. He’s a talented pianist and drummer, and in high school he actually played with the marching band. That made his Pace Academy pep rallies difficult sometimes, as he would take part with both the band and the team.

Giants fans, trust me, you got a good one.