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New York Giants Film Room: Andrew Thomas

Andrew Thomas Film Study: Analyzing the tape of New York Giants first-round pick, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas out of Georgia.
Andrew Thomas Film

Andrew Thomas was a relatively surprising pick for the New York Giants. He was rarely mocked at four by any analysts and most had him falling out of the top 10. His Combine performance definitely hurt his draft stock in the media but clearly it did not faze the Giants. Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge seem to be extremely confident in Thomas’ ability to become a franchise left tackle. I dove into Andrew Thomas’ film and came away with some takeaways that make me optimistic that this was a great pick for this franchise and a great fit.

New York Giants Film Room: Rookie Offensive Lineman Andrew Thomas

Physicals

Andrew Thomas has the prototypical size for a franchise left tackle. He has hulking size at 6’5″ and 315 pounds. He has the massive wingspan that is required for a left tackle with 36-inch arms. The main concern with Andrew Thomas and the reason that most analysts ranked him behind the other tackles was because of his athleticism. He did not have a stellar combine performance like Mekhi Becton and Tristan Wirfs which caused him to slide down most analysts’ boards. He ran a 5.22, put up 21 reps on the bench press, and only jumped 30.5 inches. 

A good vertical jump and 40-yard dash are not indicative of a good NFL lineman. There have been many Combine warriors that were over-drafted and ended up flaming out in the league. The lack of bench press reps is slightly concerning but he has enough strength currently to succeed as a tackle in the NFL. Not to mention he will almost certainly add functional strength to his frame with an NFL strength program. The “lack of athleticism” does not show up on tape. He was a good enough athlete to dominate the fast and strong crop of SEC edge rushers. Thomas also has very powerful hands, capable of stopping a defender in his tracks with a well-timed strike.

Run Blocking

Andrew Thomas is an extremely technically sound run blocker. He is very well-coached and displays a great understanding of angles in the run game. When he goes up against thicker defensive linemen, he struggles to move them at the point of attack. Despite struggling to create movement at times, his angles are great and he is almost always able to cut off the defender and take them out of the play. He is great in combo blocks and gets to the second level and cuts off linebackers with ease. 

Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of this clip

This rep shows the dominance of Thomas in double team blocks. He attacks the inside shoulder of the defensive end and is able to pass him off to the tight end. Thomas quickly makes his way to the second level and delivers a punishing block to the linebacker and takes him out of the play. The agility that he possesses and the pristine angles he takes is evident in his ability to cut off linebackers.

Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the left side of this clip

Another clip that shows how great Andrew Thomas is in the run game and with combo blocks more specifically. He absolutely buries the defensive tackle and takes a great angle to get to the second level. This would’ve been a perfect rep if he was able to latch onto the linebacker and drive his feet. The linebacker is able to get his hands on Thomas first, get off the block, and make the tackle.

Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of this clip

This is the only real problem in terms of run blocking that I have noticed on Andrew Thomas’ film. He takes great angles in the run game and has great leverage but his play strength seems to be a minor issue. When tasked with moving bigger-bodied defenders, he will struggle at the point of attack. In this play, he gets no movement at all and the defender throws him out of the way.

Andrew Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of this clip

The footwork on this play is great. He takes a “ghost step” with his first step in order to be in a position to take the inside shoulder. Thomas then shows his excellent ability to latch onto the defender and drive his feet.

Run blocking is certainly a huge strength for Andrew Thomas and he has very few flaws in this area of his game. He is so advanced in this regard because of his great leverage and the excellent angles that he takes. Thomas will enter the NFL as an above-average run blocker with room to improve if he adds functional strength to his frame.

Pass Blocking

The biggest flaw in Andrew Thomas’s overall game shows up the most in pass protection. His overall lack of strength allows him to get driven back into the quarterback’s lap at times but he is usually able to anchor down. Thomas was completely dominant in games like LSU where he was going against speed rushers that weren’t able to overpower him with the bull rush. He has the agility to shut down any speed rush from the best of the best in the SEC. Andrew Thomas was one of the most efficient pass blockers in the country with one sack allowed and only nine pressures in the entire 2019 campaign.

Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of the clip

Andrew Thomas is routinely driven back deep into the pocket by a bull rush. These plays are common in his film but they rarely result in sacks. He is usually able to anchor down but not until he is already in the quarterback’s lap. These plays are disruptive for a quarterback and make him step up in the pocket, which can result in sacks on plays like this. A left tackle being walked back into the pocket can also force a quarterback to rush the pass and make poor decisions.

Andrew Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the left side of this clip

Since powerful pass rushers are able to walk Thomas back into the quarterback, he begins to lean into defenders. The leaning into defenders is one of the biggest flaws that show up consistently in Andrew Thomas’ film. When the defender swipes his hands away, he should be able to mirror and shoot his hands again. However, since he is leaning into the defender, a hand swipe results in him falling off balance.

Andrew Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of this clip

This play is a perfect example of the experience and intelligence that shows up consistently on Andrew Thomas’ film. Notice how Andrew Thomas shows his hands early like he is about to punch and then pulls them back as the defender is going to swipe. This missed swipe throws off the defender’s balance and Thomas drives him past the pocket.

Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of this clip

Another great example of Andrew Thomas’ great hands and football IQ. The defender goes for a long arm stab, which Thomas was expecting. He is able to knock the arm away with a powerful strike that knocks the defender off balance and takes him out of the play.

Thomas is #71 (the left tackle) on the right side of this clip

Andrew Thomas routinely shut down speed rushers all year and rarely got beat with a speed rush. This clip is a perfect example of the underrated athleticism of Thomas. K’Lavon Chaisson was one of the best speed rushers in college football all season and he got shut down by Thomas. The smooth pass set of Thomas and the agility to mirror defenders is evident in this play.

Bottom Line

Andrew Thomas racked up accolade after accolade throughout his time at Georgia. He won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy of the SEC, which is awarded to the best lineman in each conference. He was a two-time first-team All-American and a unanimous All-American selection in 2019. Thomas has been starting since his freshman campaign and has steadily improved each year. Andrew Thomas’ film shows an experienced, savvy player that will be a quality starter as soon as he enters the league.

I do not agree with the sentiment that his ceiling is not that high because of his lackluster Combine. Andrew Thomas has a very high ceiling because he was so efficient at the college level and he still has so much he can improve on. His run blocking is already stellar and he was one of the best pass protectors in the country, even with his technical flaws. I will always bet on a lineman that has high potential, has shown a willingness to get better, and has improved his game over time. For Andrew Thomas, his ceiling is limitless.

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