#Giants’ Andrew Thomas gets early lesson from ex-Georgia teammate Lorenzo Carter

Giants rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas learned that lesson from — fittingly enough — a fellow Georgia alum when he was knocked to the ground during Tuesday’s practice by the bull-rush of third-year pro Lorenzo Carter.

NFL veterans frequently kick their motor into an extra gear to test out first-round draft picks during training camp, but Thomas doesn’t see it as a call to prove his worth against Carter, Markus Golden, Oshane Ximines and the rest of the pass rush.

“I don’t think they necessarily gear up,” Thomas said before the quick turnaround to Wednesday’s practice. “I think every time the ball snaps they are going hard. That’s the mentality they have. That’s the same mentality we have on the offensive side of the ball. Just try to be as physical as we can each time.”

Thomas subsequently corrected his footwork and credited a “next-play mentality” for the short memory to forget any embarrassment. That rebound might have said something positive to some Giants teammates, but Carter doesn’t need a reminder.

“I knew from Day 1 when he stepped on campus at Athens [Ga.] that he was going to be a top first-round pick,” Carter said. “It’s nothing new. It’s the same thing he did as a freshman in college. He’s learned, grown and matured. As a rookie, he came in that far advanced, too. I know I have to bring it to Andrew because he’s ready.”

Did Carter ever think of doing a fellow Bulldog a favor to make the rookie look good?

“Oh no, of course not,” Carter said. “I think it’s been a big emphasis that the physicality we play with in practice is going to be big because there are no preseason games. Whatever we do now, whatever foundations we set, is what’s going to show up on gameday.”

When offensive tackle Nate Solder opted out of the season due to COVID-19 health concerns, the external pressure multiplied on Thomas to immediately live up to his status as the No. 4 pick in the draft. He recognizes he has “a lot of work to do.”

“In college, if you are faster and stronger and you know your assignment, you usually do well,” Thomas said. “At this level, there is so much technique that you have to learn. There are so many things before the snap. I think that’s the biggest adjustment.”

Carter, who is trying to solidify his worth after 8.5 sacks in two seasons, has his own points of emphasis: hand placement and taking shorter power angles to the quarterback.

“It’s not my job to make sure I give [Thomas] the look that somebody else is going to give him,” Carter said. “I’m working on myself. But I know he’s going to get it changed up. From me to [Ximines] to [Golden], he’s going to get different looks from different pass rushers.”