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Carolina Panthers: Andrew Thomas would be wise selection for team

By Danny Jaillet

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 30: Andrew Thomas #71 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate's following the Georgia Bulldogs win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 52-7 at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 30: Andrew Thomas #71 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate's following the Georgia Bulldogs win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 52-7 at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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The Carolina Panthers would be wise to draft the tackle in the first round.

It’s mock draft season, and the Carolina Panthers figure to be in the thick of things with the seventh overall pick. In Pro football Focus’ most recent mock draft, the Panthers are selecting Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with the seventh overall pick.

This is an interesting selection and one that I can certainly get behind. Last season, the Carolina Panthers made an effort to address their offensive  line. Although it was a valiant effort, the Panthers still had the same problems they did in 2018. The Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins were tied for the most sacks given up with an average of 3.6 per game on the season. That was up from when the Panthers only allowed two sacks per game on the year in 2018.

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Measuring in at six-foot-five, 320 pounds, Thomas can offer support both in run and pass protection. As noted by WalterFootball.com, he did a great job of opening up holes for Georgia running back D’Andre Swift. This is exactly what the Carolina Panthers need. Christian McCaffrey needs some help in terms of run blocking. He can’t always make plays happen by himself.

In terms of pass protection, he would be an asset too. Too often, I felt that Kyle Allen was thrown to the turf. Some may say that Allen held onto the ball too long. However, when you have an offensive line that is struggling, it doesn’t matter what type of talent you have if your line can’t help you. It seems like this has been a problem for the Panthers for quite some time now, and Thomas could put a stop the bleeding.

Some may say that with the seventh overall pick, you draft the best player available. In this case, I truly think Thomas is the best player available for the organization. He fills all of their needs, and allows the Panthers to also protect some of the current stars on their roster. In this day and age, the Carolina Panthers need to have a consistent, productive passing game. Drafting Thomas would be able to provide that to the organization.

It will be interesting to see what direction the Carolina Panthers go in. There are a lot of needs they could fill with that seventh pick. I know some people may want a more flashier offensive or defensive player. However, the Panthers would be wise to draft Thomas based on their current needs at this time.

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