The New York Giants added a security blanket for their two most recent first-round selections by taking offensive tackle Andrew Thomas of Georgia with the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.
Thomas started 41 games for the Bulldogs in three seasons, the last 26 at left tackle. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder was considered the most complete offensive tackle in the draft, but some experts believed others had a bigger upside.
His selection gives general manager Dave Gettleman one of his beloved "hog mollies" and a hulk who can open holes for running back Saquon Barkley and keep quarterback Daniel Jones on his feet.
"The one thing that sticks out about him, if you watch the top pass rushers - with maybe the exception of a couple - they had to go against him," new coach Joe Judge said. "Watch his college tape. He's going against guys you are going to see drafted in the next couple of days. He does a heck of a job. He plays big in big games."
The major question for the Giants will be whether they use Thomas on the right or left side of the offensive line. Nate Solder has played left tackle the past two years, but the right side is open after Mike Remmers signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Judge said training camp is going to determine who plays where on a line that struggled last season.
NFL photo via AP / In this still from video, former Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, center, smiles as he is announced as the New York Giants' selection at No. 4 overall in the NFL draft Thursday night.The choice was a surprise in some ways because Tristan Wirfs (6-5, 320) of Iowa and Jedrick Wills (6-4, 312) of Alabama were considered to have greater upside. Wills went 10th to the Cleveland Browns, and Wirfs went 13th to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"We spent a lot of time on this, and we want to fix this up as a line once and for all," Gettleman said. "Andrew certainly has a hell of a pedigree as a three-year starter in the Southeastern Conference. He has played against some real quality defensive ends during his college career and has played big-time ball in front of a lot of people."
The Giants also had Clemson's Isaiah Simmons, a 6-4, 328-pound playmaker, on their radar. He is an athletic defender who transitioned from safety in 2017 to a starting linebacker position in 2018 and was eventually voted the Butkus Award winner as the nation's top linebacker. The Arizona Cardinals took him with the eighth pick.
New York has made the playoffs once, in the 2016 season, since winning the Super Bowl in February 2012, the franchise's fourth victory in the big game and their eighth NFL title overall.
This marked the third straight draft the Giants have had a top-six pick. Two years ago they took Barkley with the second overall choice, and last year they grabbed Jones with the sixth pick as their QB of the future. Eli Manning, who was MVP of the Giants' last two Super Bowl victories, retired after last season.
The Giants had nine more picks in the draft - most of them the fourth pick in each round - including four in the final round, among them the last pick overall at No. 255.