Giants Need Andrew Thomas Ready for Monday Night
Giants rookie offensive tackle Andrew Thomas will make his first NFL start on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Thomas, the fourth-overall selection in this year's draft out of Georgia, was praised as the most pro-ready offensive tackle prospect, and the Giants are counting on that projection to show up in Week 1.
Thomas is projected to line up at left tackle, where he'll have his work cut out for him against a Steelers' defensive front that won't be planning to take it easy against the rookie.
"[Thomas] has gotten better every day for us, he's been very coachable, very attentive at meetings," head coach Joe Judge said.
"You hit him on some type of technique and some aspect of communication, he improves every day on that and I'm very pleased with how he's come along."
Thomas has been coached up by Giants offensive line coach Marc Colombo, himself once a first-round draft pick and an NFL offensive tackle. Colombo has been looking to refine Thomas' techniques, specifically his hand placement.
Besides trying to refine his technique, Thomas has also been looking to build that all-important verbal and non-verbal communication with his teammates, especially on the offensive line and with the tight ends who will be assisting with blocking.
Tight end Evan Engram said communication would help keep Thomas on point.
"I remember my rookie debut, there were definitely butterflies and eyes flying around everywhere so it's normal to feel that and he'll definitely have some nerves," Engram said.
"I think just communicating and being on the same page and being successful and physical with him in the run game and giving him confidence and moving the ball down the field to kind of getting him in the groove so we'll probably be doing a lot of that on Monday. "
While Thomas and the rest of the Giants rookies, for that matter, have been working up to this moment, Judge notes their development will be a work-in-progress.
"The rookies still don't know what to fully expect," Judge said. "They've been taught, they've been told, they've seen examples, they've felt the speed of practice, but that reality is you can't truly simulate the full speed of a game until you've played in a game.
"It's our job to get them mentally, physically and emotionally ready for that game, but until they get out there and get hit in the mouth for the first time they really don't know."
