New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

NY Giants' Andrew Thomas Left Off Top 2020 Draft Pick List in New Analysis

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Alex House | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 4:18 PM ET

The New York Giants have a few players who are simply irreplaceable. Dexter Lawrence is a rock on the interior defensive line. Malik Nabers is far and away their best pass-catcher. But the most indispensable member of this team might just be left tackle Andrew Thomas.

Fans know what this offense looks like when the star left tackle is not on the field, which, unfortunately, happens far more often than everybody cares to admit. He is the hub of an offensive line that is perpetually a work in progress.

Thomas remains the Giants' best hope at building an unshakable wall of protection. The 2022 Second-Team All-Pro paces the unit and can directly impact how the quarterback performs. When healthy, he has proven himself to be one of the finest at his position.

Ability and technique are only part of the equation, however. Frequent injury absences have prevented Thomas from accumulating more accolades and caused analysts to lower his ranking.

Despite his value to the team, Pro Football Network does not consider Thomas among the top 10 candidates for the inaugural NFL Protector of the Year award in a new analysis.

Adding to the list of snubs, FOX Sports did not make room for the 26-year-old when ranking the top-10 players from a historic 2020 NFL Draft class, giving Thomas an honorable mention.

The 2020 NFL Draft was filled with big time players.

Who are the best? We ranked the top 10. pic.twitter.com/VsxZSjJijL
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 3, 2025

The reason Thomas isn’t held in higher regard, no doubt, has to do with his recent injury history. He’s played in just 61 games in the first five seasons of his NFL career.

Alas, those are the breaks an injury-prone offensive lineman endures. If Thomas' on-field attendance rate is low, he is not going to draw the kind of praise that signal-callers and skill position players do. But make no mistake, New York knows what he means to the team's chances for success.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.

Giants depend greatly on No. 78

The Giants’ O-line held its own through the first few weeks of the 2024-25 season, that is, until Andrew Thomas suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in October, six games into the season.

Management took extra caution with the 2020 No. 4 overall pick during organized team activities, making his health a top priority by sitting him down. With 22-year-old quarterback Jaxson Dart expected to assume starting quarterback duties at some point in the future, Thomas is as valuable as ever.

Thomas has the power to help the Giants take a big step forward next season and in the several to follow. That is not hyperbole; Thomas is a massive difference-maker.

If he can log a full campaign in 2025, maybe some of these outlets who are leaving him off their superlative lists will reconsider.