The New York Giants had their eyes on offensive tackle Andrew Thomas dating all the way back to 2018. They eventually used the No. 4 overall pick to get the Georgia product, fulfilling many projections for Big Blue heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.
There had been some speculation that the Giants wanted to trade down from their position, but general manager Dave Gettleman couldn’t find the right value and instead stayed in place and chose Thomas.
Here is what the prominent draft analysts and experts said about Thomas before the draft:
Dane Brugler, The Athletic (draft guide)
A three-year starter at Georgia, Thomas was the starting left tackle in former offensive coordinator James Coley’s pro style spread. He put his name on the map starting every game as a true freshman and graded as one of the most effective blockers in the SEC the last three seasons. Thomas has dominant qualities in the run game, steering and controlling blockers once he gets his hands on them. With his tendency to wind up, lean and abandon his lower body fundamentals, he needs to shore up his pass pro technique, but he gets the job done on tape due to his anchor, toughness and girth. Overall, Thomas’ balance issues are the main concern with his pro transition, abandoning his mechanics and getting himself out over his skis, but he can maneuver his hips in pass protection and clear run lanes, projecting as a starting NFL tackle with fixable issues.