Georgia Football: Update on the Latest NFL Draft Stock of Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas was the 9th ranked offensive tackle in the 2017 class. A 4-star prospect out of Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, he was a phenomenal player at Georgia from the jump. Starting all 15 games as a true freshman at right tackle and was named a consensus Freshman All-American.
After Isaiah Wynn left for the NFL following the 2017 season, Thomas made the transition from right tackle to left look effortless. It may seem like a simple thing for those who have never played the position, but the only comparison I could make is to say it's like spending a season shooting jump shots right-handed then making the switch to being a lefty the next season.
He was named to a number of All-American teams in 2018 including first-team honors on SI.com's team. In 657 snaps as a sophomore, he allowed just 11 pressures all season and finished with an overall grade of 80.6 from the folks at PFF.com
His final season in Athens was no different than the first two. All around dominance and consistency. He received the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the first Georgia offensive linemen to do so in over two decades and was named a permanent team captain for the 2019 season.
So, what does the NFL Draft Stock look like after a career like Thomas'? Here's the latest:
Andrew Thomas missed (2) starts in (3) years at UGA. MTSU in 2018 (Injury) 2019 Sugar Bowl
NFL Draft Stock
Barring some daunting information coming out of Thomas' physical at the combine, such was the case with Jawaan Taylor last year, Thomas is a virtual lock to be a first-round draft pick. The only question now becomes when and where?
Towards the end of the season, Thomas seemed to be in the conversation to be the first tackle taken off the board, if not the favorite. Ed Orgeron essentially said as much at the SECCG press conferences:
"I was talking to a scout the other day, that guy's going to be a Top-5 pick."
That report from the Bayou Bengal himself seems to be holding true. The majority of the NFL Mock Drafts have Thomas being selected as the first tackle off the board. As far as which team takes him, that's still up for grabs. Though there are some who favor Tristan Wirfs or Jedrick Wills Jr.
2020 Mock Draft Tracker (1/30/2020):
- SB Nation: (4th) New York Giants [OT1]
- Bleacher Report: (10th) Cleveland Browns [OT1]
- Daniel Jeremiah: (10th) Cleveland Browns [OT3]
- Mel Kiper Jr: (8th) Arizona Cardinals [OT1]
- Todd McShay: (7th) New York Jets [OT1]
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