Georgia's Andrew Thomas 'Can Really Move You' in Run Game
As with any draft, teams will differ significantly in their evaluations of the top players. That holds true for the 2020 NFL Draft, which features a handful of coveted offensive linemen expected to come off the board in the first round but little consensus as to the order.
Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah, now a draft analyst with NFL Network, sees Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas as a potentially special prospect.
"Andrew Thomas, he's just a big, powerful run blocker," Jeremiah said this week on a conference call with media. "He creates a lot of movement when he gets his hands on you. He can really move you."
Thomas comes to the NFL with an impressive pedigree. He played in the Army All-American Game coming out of high school before winning a starting job at Georgia as a true freshman. He has since racked up numerous awards, including multiple first-team All-SEC selections as well as the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and unanimous All-American honors last season.
Those accolades match Thomas' massive frame. At 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, he cuts the figure of a mammoth NFL offensive tackle with the athleticism to match. At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Thomas ran the 40-yard dash in 5.22 seconds and the shuttle in 4.66 seconds while delivering a 30.5-inch vertical. His athleticism composite score landed him in the 53rd percentile among offensive linemen in pSPARQ, according to Three Sigma Athlete.
Yet, despite Thomas' impressive physical tools and experience, Jeremiah sees a prospect with plenty of room for improvement.
"He uproots guys, but I thought he was more of a one-track player," Jeremiah said. "He struggled to adjust a little bit in space and pass protection. If he can get out in front of you and stay square, he's fine. I did not see that elite level of foot quickness, and I thought when he sees some of the better speed rushers in the NFL, that could give him a little bit of trouble, so that's why I had him as the fourth guy [among first-round offensive tackles]."
It remains unclear how the Los Angeles Chargers, who hold the No. 6 overall pick and could target an offensive lineman, value Thomas. While they have invested plenty of resources into their pass protection this offseason -- trading for Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner, signing premier right tackle Bryan Bulaga in free agency -- left tackle remains a question. Thomas could potentially fill that need and provide the Chargers with a quality bookend to Bulaga and secure the position in the long term.
-- Jason B. Hirschhorn is an award-winning sports journalist and Pro Football Writers of America member. Follow him on Twitter: @by_JBH
