The Giants' Andrew Thomas Is a Top-5 Tackle — the Rankings Just Don't Know It Yet

It took a collective effort to bury the New York Giants in shame during the last decade and a half, and it will take a collective effort to dig them out. And no man may be more essential to the team's potential resurgence than Andrew Thomas.

The veteran left tackle has been one of the only reliable Big Blue players in the 2020s, and with John Harbaugh at the helm, he may finally get the chance to shine on a competitive football team.

The NFL thinks quite highly of the former No. 4 overall draft pick, but it may be overlooking him a tad. When ranking the top-10 players at the 11 main position groups, league executives, coaches, and scouts determined that Thomas is the eighth-best active offensive tackle entering the 2026 season.

Although the 2022 Second-Team All-Pro has played 13 games or fewer four times in his six NFL seasons, he is a source of strength and stability when on the field. New York went into the 2025 campaign with the same offensive line as the year before, and yet, the results were strikingly different.

A healthy Thomas launched the Giants' protection unit into the NFL's upper-half and enabled rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to gradually find his footing. He surrendered only one sack and 13 total pressures in 448 pass-blocking snaps and committed just three penalties in 802 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

The man was simply a rock in the 13 games he played in, and if not for the lingering effects of his Lisfranc injury or a hamstring strain, he might have been named a finalist for the inaugural Protector of the Year award.

Thomas could be slotted in the top-5 if he stays healthy

Andrew Thomas and the NY Giants' O-Line take the field — New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) and his teammates run onto the field moments before kickoff, Sunday, October 13, 2024, in East Rutherford. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Even with all the time he has missed, the 27-year-old has managed to perform at a high level in the trenches.

With all factors being equal, Thomas deserves to be ranked as a top-five OT alongside Penei Sewell, Trent Williams, Tristan Wirfs, and Jordan Mailata, listed 1-4 respectively.

The 6-foot-5, 315-pound powerhouse is a complete lineman, which means he operates as an engine on both passing and running downs. The Giants limited Thomas' workload during spring workouts while he nursed a shoulder issue, but they should lean on him once the regular season begins.

Think about all the things that have to go right for the G-Men to genuinely succeed on offense. Dart has to improve his accuracy on deep throws, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo must take the next step as a backfield, and New York needs to employ more play action. No. 78 is a vital part of all these processes.

If he can play 15 or more games this season, Thomas will almost certainly warrant elite placement in the 2027 voting results. His current ranking should serve as some useful bulletin board material.

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