This Andrew Thomas scouting report is one I have been very much looking forward to because there seems to be some disagreement as to who the best tackle is in the 2020 NFL Draft. As a Giants fan, I am also trying to decipher which tackle prospect (if they pick one) is really the best fit for the team. Thomas is exactly what you want a young franchise tackle to look like. He’s 6″5, 320 lbs, has the perfect arm length, build, and stature for the position. Being in Georgia’s offense, Andrew Thomas has seen his fair share of pro-style pass sets, while regularly facing the SEC’s best edge-defenders.
As a pass blocker
Thomas is a natural mover who and fundamentally sound as a pass-protecting tackle. His hands and his feet are always moving together in harmony, with his footwork being truly exceptional. He consistently dominated quality competition, easily dealing with top-flight college defenders, who could normally win using speed and power. After he gets his feet set and grabs a hold of someone, it’s game over at that point, as his guys usually can’t move once he extends his arms. His athleticism, long arms, and feet all have me convinced he will end being worth a top-15 pick.
As a run blocker
Similar to the pass, Thomas is utterly dominant once he gets a hold of you, winning with upper body power and arm-length. Because Thomas is so explosive out of his stance and such an exceptional mover, it’s no surprise his tape shows a lot of upside as a pulling blocker. I say “upside” because if he can connect with these guys on better angles, allowing him a more optimal hand placement, he’s going to be exceptional in that area, as well as a better second level run-blocker.
Negatives
He needs to become more of a natural bender at the knees. It’s easier said than done, because he’s got some very long limbs, and he’s 6″5-6″6. Long limbs benefit him in terms of being able to use his arm length, but it also makes it harder for him to play low at times. He needs to improve overall balance, but the perceived lack of balance is largely due to his playing too tall. This isn’t too much of a problem for him at the college level because he can just rely on his arm length and upper body power, but this will need to improve for the NFL, as I think his biggest weakness initially will be dealing with guys who can beat him by winning leverage and quickly taking his inside shoulder.
He sometimes gets over aggressive and takes himself out of plays. He could stand to take some better angles at times on second-level blocks. The tape shows some failed blocks at the second level, where he either takes a poor angle or just misses the assignment. I think he just gets a little too excited at times. He doesn’t always play whistle to whistle (plenty don’t), but a lot of times he disengages from his blocks too early against both the run and pass. At times, he seems to be convinced that using his superior length and initial positioning is all he needs to do to win on passing downs. Again, he needs to finish more consistently.
How will his game translate to the NFL?
At the risk of sounding redundant, Thomas will be unstoppable if he can learn to play less top-heavy and try to improve his knee bend. All of his limbs are very long, which is what makes it harder for him. Still, it’s something he needs to work on if he’s going to contend with guys who can win with leverage and quickly go inside on him. That’s going to be the challenge. He just plays too tall. If he can evolve as a guy who can win more of those “lowest man wins battles”, I believe he’ll end up being a top-tier left tackle in the NFL, and has the upside to be the NFL’s best. He should instantly make an impact as he’s ready to hand NFL-quality edge-defenders.
Bottom line
Despite the flaws, Thomas was born to play tackle in the NFL, and I think his natural tools are so good, that he will be a guy that just figure everything out in time. Keeping it simple, this will be a perianal all-pro if he makes stride in the things discussed. In my opinion, he’s worth a top-10 pick, especially considering there has been a shortage of franchise young left tackles over the years, and it’s arguably the most important position on the offense outside of QB, especially given the style of play we currently see in the NFL.
