Advertisement
Published Feb 26, 2020
Exit Interview: Andrew Thomas on UGA and the NFL
Anthony Dasher  •  UGASports
Editor

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Andrew Thomas covered a lot of ground during his session with reporters Wednesday at the NFL Combine.

Read all of what he had to say below.

info icon
Embed content not available
Advertisement

Biggest strengths?

Thomas: “In college I started off at right tackle my freshman year, then I transitioned to left tackle after Isaiah (Wynn) left and I played there the last two years. I think in the run game I’m very physical at the point of attack and I have good leverage and in the pass game I have athletic feet and length.”

Comparisons in the NFL?

Thomas: “I think I’m a mix of Tyrann Smith and Trent Williams. Trent Williams because of his athleticism and Tyrann Smith because of how consistent his set is no matter who he’s playing.”

PFF data said college data comps to Laremy Tunsil and David Bakhtiari. Is that fair?

Thomas: “Definitely, those two are great players, and I’m working hard to get to their level.”

What about your game can be used by every NFL team?

Thomas: “Just how coachable I am, I understand the game, a lot of times I understand what’s going on before the play happens regardless of what system I’m in, I can adapt to what they’re teaching me.”

Toughest opponent in the SEC?

Thomas: “Auburn. Derrick Brown.”

You started every game at Georgia, how will that help in NFL?

Thomas: “I think it will help because I made a smooth transition picking up the playbook, things like that, adjusting to being on your own, I feel like I’ll make a smooth transition.”

How did the SEC prepare you for the NFL?

Thomas: “In the SEC you don’t have any days off. Every week you’re playing against the best pass rusher they have. Obviously, it’s not the NFL, but it’s a stepping stone to go to the next level. Playing in the SEC every week you’ve got to be ready, the competition is ridiculous. Everybody is talented, and then coaching staff wise, Sam Pittman, since I got there, he prepared me for this moment, just teaching me everything and not just on the field but off the field being a mentor to me.”

Stay in touch with Isaiah Wynn?

Thomas: “I stay in touch with Isaiah. He told me last year I’d have a good chance to get drafted, he just told me to continue to work hard and do the same things that got me here.”

Side preference?

Thomas: “I prefer left tackle, but I can play both. Teams are saying they like me at left tackle.”

Is it a competition among tackles in the Combine when you train?

Thomas: “Definitely. Not just the draft boards but personally I work hard and I want to be the best every day. Why would be doing this if you don’t want to be the best, so every day I train I want to be the best. Obviously, all these guys are talented so I’m just trying my best to show what I can do.”

Playing for either New York team?

Thomas: “That would be crazy, you guys know I signed with ROC Nation so I’ve been up there a couple times and New York is a nice city. I met with the Jets, just a lot of film, breaking down my film and critiquing my techniques. I have a formal with the Giants Thursday.”

Tough decision to go pro?

Thomas: “It was pretty tough leaving Georgia. I’ve been three years and it’s given me a lot opportunity to take care of my family for a long time. But talking to my family, my mentors, my coaches, it made sense for me to come out.”

What do you draw inspiration from?

Thomas: “I’m very musically inclined, growing up in the church, played the drums and things like that. My freshman year in high school I was still in the band, enjoying everything, and my head coach, Chris Slade, told me I had a chance to write my own ticket playing football. And I loved the game but music was still very important to me and he told me that I have to put my focus on football and that’s what I did. I still love music, but I put my focus on football and I’m here now. I was still in it, but I wasn’t into it as much as I was. I played the drums in the band but when I went to college, I couldn’t do that anymore so I transitioned to playing piano. At my high school I’d be at the pep rally and I’d be playing in the band with my jersey on and then I’d go over to the football team and do the football things.’

What do you do outside football?

Thomas: “Just chilling with the boys, playing video games, watch movies, just chilling.”

What makes you the best OT in this draft?

Thomas: “I think I’m all around the best, I can run block, I can pass block, I’m coachable, I’m a technician. That’s what makes me the best.”

Impressions of teammate DeAndre Swift?

Thomas: “I think Swift, with just his one-cut ability, he can make a play out of no play sometimes with how quick he is. He’s elusive, a pretty good back.”

Appreciate the chance to block for Nick Chubb with the Browns?

Thomas: “That would be crazy. Nick’s a great guy, he’s always mellow, just like how he was in college. He’s a great running back and it would be a pleasure to block for him again. He was leading the NFL in rushing at one point in time, he’s a very good back and it’s just the tip of the iceberg for him.”

Impressions on Jake Fromm as a leader?

Thomas: Jake is a charismatic leader all the time, he’s always on cloud nine, never gets down. If you’re having a bad day, Jake is the person to go to talk to bring you up.

One game you would show NFL scouts?

Thomas: “Probably the SEC Championship last year.”

What was it like having Chris Slade around you since high school?

Thomas: “Definitely. Working with him, and then Kevin Johnson who was my O-line coach. I understood a lot of things about technique that a lot of kids didn’t know going into college and that put me ahead.”

Pay attention to draft boards?

Thomas: “Just talking to my agent. I try not to pay attention, but I’m on social media so obviously I see it. When I see it I just continue to work hard. I think yesterday my measurements were good so I think that will help and then just going to meetings and showing them how intelligent I am and then on the field drills to show how athletic I am.”

Teams surprised to hear you play the piano?

Thomas: “Yeah, every time I say that they get interested, so I think that’s a good thing outside of football that I do. If I had to rate myself right now from 1 to 10 I’d say I’m around a 5. I’m still working on it but it’s something that I really enjoy.”

What did football teammates think of you playing in the band?

Thomas: “They would laugh about it, but one of my best friends did the same thing, so we both played in the drum line and then came over and played for the football team so it wasn’t too hard.”

Favorite memory at Georgia?

Thomas: “I would say the Rose Bowl my freshman year. That environment was just crazy, and how back and forth the game was and us pulling it out was crazy.”

Thoughts on wide zone blocking scheme and how well he can do?

Thomas: “We ran wide zone a lot. A lot of times we ran it to the open side with our tight end, but just using your athleticism to be able to reach guys and get to the next level is something that I can use in the NFL. Inside zone was our main thing, but we ran some outside zone.”

Thoughts on Raquan Davis?

Thomas: “He’s a great D-tackle, good length, can pass rush, he’s an all-around good player.”

Has Nick Chubb been talking up the Browns?

Thomas: “Nah, he hasn’t. He just tells me to keep my head on straight.”

The whole Georgia offensive line is here

Thomas: “It’s great, we spend a lot of time together and it’s great because we’re all competing to be the best.”

Thought on Isaiah Wilson, still 350 pounds but he looks different?

Thomas: “Every time we ask him about his weight he always says 20 percent body fat, so we just let him do that. He’s a physical freak, he’s going to test well, he’s a good player.”

Dolphins situation?

Thomas: “I don’t know much, I know they have a couple first round picks and I have a formal with them on Thursday.”

Is Joe Thomas in Cleveland someone you watched?

Thomas: “I was working with (inaudible coach in Pensacola) and he told me about when he coached him, and just working on different hand techniques because a lot of times in college we work on the two-hand punch so you have to be able to bring something different.”

Criticisms of technique. Are they valid?

Thomas: “People are entitled to their own opinions and I go back and look at the film and there’s things I want to work on. There’s never a time when you’re perfect, I always want to get better and transition to the NFL, the guys I’m going to be going against are ridiculous so I’m always trying to get better.”

How important will it be for you to be a technician in the NFL?

Thomas: “Technique is very important. One little small hiccup in your set or with your hands against these very talented rushers will make all the difference.”

You met with Browns. Did they pound you on technique?

Thomas: “Yeah I met with them yesterday. They showed good plays and then they showed plays that you might mess up and they ask you what you should do to fix it. When I watch film myself I really don’t look at the good plays, I like to watch the plays that I messed up and try to figure out how I can do better.”

How important is position flexibility in the NFL?

Thomas: “They ask me how that transition would be going back and forth and they’ve asked me how I would feel playing inside. I feel like I can move, I feel like I’m versatile, I played left tackle and right tackle in college and I had a couple reps at guard in summer camp.”

Favorite memory in college?

Thomas: “Probably the Kentucky game, me and Solomon Kindley, we had a double block out to the mike backer and we killed him and that’s the game we rushed for about 300 yards and Swift broke like a 60-yard run. We were watching the film and me and Sol were like chest bumping in the middle of the play so it was pretty cool.”

Goals for the combine?

Thomas: “I’d say 30-32 on the vert, trying to get a five-flat in the 40, maybe 4.9, and bench press maybe 25.”

Watch film with the Jets?

Thomas: “Yeah, there were a couple plays we went over, some good, some bad. Basically, they just ask you to explain the offense so you look at a lot of six-man pass protection and just explain how we ran it, what our calls were, things like that. When I’m in the interview it goes so fast so I’m just trying my best to impress the coaches.”

What’s it like being around the top tackles here at the Combine?

Thomas: “We hear about all the guys all year, training, you follow some of the guys. It’s like back in high school when you go to the Rivals camps where all the top players come out and that’s just kind of how it is. It brings a competitive atmosphere.”

What separates an average OT from a great one?

Thomas: “I think athleticism, playing at the next level those guys are freaks, so being more athletic helps you and then technique, especially at the offensive line position. Playing against those guys you have to be a technician. Every down, every play, you have to change it up, it’s almost a like a chess match and you have to be able to adjust to different types of rushers so I think that makes all the difference.”

What did you train most for?

Thomas: “Just working my start, working my stance, how I drove out of my stance.”

Did Nick Chubb talk much at Georgia?

Thomas: “No, Nick doesn’t talk. The only people he really talks to are Isaiah, Sony every now and then. He’s a pretty chill dude. When he gets comfortable around you, he can talk a little more.”

If you end up in Cleveland, tough to follow Joe Thomas?

Thomas: “Definitely. He’s a Hall of Famer. It would be very hard to fill those footsteps but all I can do is work to learn the system, learn from the older guys and do what I can to be the best player I can be. It would be a great opportunity.”

Advertisement