The New York Giants drafted tackle Andrew Thomas in the first round to help fix the glaring issues on the offensive line.
After allowing 47 and 43 sacks respectively in 2018 and 2019, the New York Giants became aware that fixing the offensive line was a must ahead of the new season. This led to them drafting three offensive linemen within the first five rounds, a trio that encompasses first-round pick and 2019 unanimous All-American tackle Andrew Thomas.
The former Georgia standout will likely start at right tackle before hopefully becoming the team’s concrete answer in regards to the left side, and with his first NFL season approaching, the young athlete is apparently taking strides in his development.
Former NFL offensive lineman Kynan Forney, who began training Thomas prior to April’s draft, spoke on the 21-year-old in a discussion with Paul Dottino and John Schmeelk of Giants.com’s “Big Blue Kickoff Live” show.
“I see tremendous improvement in him,” Forney said. “Let’s be clear about this, Andrew is a very smart football player. One thing that I’ve noticed with him is that when I show him something on film…I correct it right there on the field and he’ll see it and he’ll make the correction right then.
“There’s been some times when he’s blown me away when I say, ‘Hey, look here maybe you don’t want to flare your elbows back as much because it’s taking too much time, let’s keep them nice and tight.’ Whatever the situation is, as soon as we do the next rep, he corrects it and fixes it. He’s very smart and will correct it. He’s a coach’s dream. He’s a coach’s pleasure. I know the Giants will be very happy with him when they get him coming up this fall. I’m trying to get him ready for Sunday, and he’s very coachable, very smart, and he’s trying to work it.”
Thomas was arguably the most NFL-ready tackle in a draft class that included Mekhi Becton (New York Jets), Tristan Wirfs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Jedrick Wills (Cleveland Browns), all of whom portray immense talent.
It might not be the easiest transition for any of them though, especially considering this offseason was overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic and didn’t include an in-person rookie camp, minicamp, or OTAs.
