Andrew Thomas to Georgia: Bulldogs Land 4-Star OT Prospect

The Georgia Bulldogs weren't about to let one of their state's best offensive linemen slip through their grasp. On Sunday, the Bulldogs received a commitment from offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, who announced his decision during ESPNU’s broadcast of The Opening finals.

Trent Smallwood of UGASports.com shared video of Thomas' announcement: 

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Thomas is the 10th-best OT in the 2017 recruiting class. The 4-star recruit also ranks 49th nationally overall and fourth in the state of Georgia.

A head coaching change can occasionally alter a school's chances of landing a prized recruit. For Georgia, firing Mark Richt and hiring Kirby Smart didn't deter Thomas from wanting to come to Athens. The school's spring game might have been a decisive factor in Thomas' decision.

An SEC-record 93,000 fans packed inside Sanford Stadium to watch the exhibition, per ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach.

"It was ridiculous; I didn't think that many fans would come to a spring game," Thomas said, per Dawgs247's Jake Rowe. "It was surreal. It made me want to put the pads on."

He also sent out this tweet after the game:

Smart can't take all or even most of the credit for the trend, but he's continuing Georgia's habit of reeling in offensive linemen who are very good but don't necessary crack into the elite class of recruits. Below are all of the road-graders who joined the Bulldogs in the last five years and where they ranked in 247Sports' composite rankings:

Year	Player	Position Rank	National Rank
2012	John Theus, OT	No. 3	No. 16
2012	Greg Pyke, OT	No. 44	No. 410
2013	Brandon Kublanow, C	No. 4	No. 185
2013	Josh Cardiello, G	No. 31	No. 537
2013	Aulden Bynum, OT	No. 43	No. 558
2014	Isaiah Wynn, G	No. 7	No. 109
2014	Dyshon Sims, OT	No. 17	No. 227
2014	Kendall Baker, OT	No. 20	No. 259
2014	Jake Edwards, G	No. 28	No. 525
2015	Pat Allen, OT	No. 18	No. 2013
2015	Sam Madden, OT	No. 47	No. 437
2015	Sage Hardin, OT	No. 51	No. 453
2015	Mirko Jurkovic, G	No. 52	No. 827
2016	Ben Cleveland, OT	No. 9	No. 91
2016	Chris Barnes, OT	No. 45	No. 505
2016	Solomon Kindley, OT	No. 87	No. 1,056

Although Thomas has played on both sides of the line for Pace Academy in Atlanta, there's no question his future lies on offense. He still has a somewhat slight frame for the position (6'5", 295 lbs), but he is built much more for offensive tackle than he is for defensive tackle.

Offensive line coach Sam Pittman will need to work with Thomas right away, though, since he's such a work in progress. Not only does Thomas need to get a bit stronger, but his technique can be lacking at times. Especially in the SEC, his slow first step could turn into a major issue if he doesn't iron it out early in his Georgia career:

Thomas' motor and work ethic on the field aren't in question after he has spent time at two different positions in high school. There's little doubt he'll be willing to put in the work to address his flaws as a blocker.

He's also a good enough athlete that he won't be limited to playing on the right side, and once he adds muscle, Thomas will have little trouble physically battling the edge-rushers he'll see at the next level.

Georgia fans shouldn't expect the Bulldogs' newest commitment to make an immediate impact upon his arrival. He'd be a liability on the line if Smart and his staff elevate Thomas to a prominent role in the offense.

If his coaches are patient, though, and let Thomas gain some experience and grow as a player, he should be one of Georgia's most important linemen in a few years.