Andrew Thomas has leveled his last defender for the Georgia Bulldogs.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound junior left tackle from the Atlanta suburb of Lithonia announced Tuesday afternoon on social media that he will bypass his remaining college eligibility and will not play in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's night against Baylor. His announcement occurred a day after he was tabbed an Associated Press first-team All-American.
"Since I was a kid, I've dreamed of playing in the National Football League," Thomas posted on Twitter. "Today, I'm taking a step to turn that dream into a reality. I will be forgoing our upcoming bowl game and my senior season and will be declaring for the 2020 NFL draft. I want to thank God for the opportunities he has granted me, and I also want to thank the University of Georgia for an incredible three years.
"My time in Athens shaped me into the man I am today, and it was a privilege to play Between the Hedges on Saturdays."
Thomas started at right tackle as a true freshman in 2017, when the Bulldogs won their first Southeastern Conference championship since 2005. He has helped Georgia win three straight SEC East titles and has blocked for five 1,000-yard rushers: Nick Chubb and Sony Michel in 2017, Elijah Holyfield and D'Andre Swift last season and Swift again this year.
CBS has projected Thomas, the recent winner of the Jacobs Trophy as the SEC's top blocker, as the third overall draft-eligible prospect for the 2020 event in Las Vegas.
Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Wilson, the starting right tackle for the Bulldogs the past two seasons, announced Tuesday via Instagram that he would be forgoing his remaining eligibility as well. The 6-7, 340-pound former five-star signee from Brooklyn, New York, did not reveal whether he will play in New Orleans.
"This was a huge decision that I prayed about, talked about with my family and thought about tremendously," Wilson said. "It's not a step that has been taken lightly."
CBS rates Wilson as a second-round prospect.
Swift also is expected to skip his senior season but did not join Thomas and Wilson with Tuesday announcements, instead posting on Twitter, "I have not made my decision yet. I will decide after the bowl game."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.