Andrew Thomas Named Outland Trophy National Player of the Month

DALLAS - Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas was named the one of the Outland Trophy National Player of the Month honors for October, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America and presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

Thomas, a 6-5, 320-pound junior from Lithonia, Ga., is the eldest starting member of the Georgia offensive line and one of three Outland Trophy Watch List members on the roster, along with fellow junior Solomon Kindley at left guard and right tackle Isaiah Wilson.

Thomas has been the stalwart on the left side this season protecting quarterback Jake Fromm, continually grading at 90 percent or above on the Pro Football Focus scales. The outstanding play up front has yielded plenty of results. Georgia is second in the SEC with 222.4 rushing yards per game, with the bulkiest line in school history, averaging 6-5 and 328.6 pounds. The Bulldogs were third in the SEC through October with 36.0 points per game and are tied for tops in the nation (with Air Force) by yielding only 4.0 sacks this season.

The Bulldogs are the only FBS team to have four different players go over 1,000 yards rushing during the 2017 and '18 seasons, and this season D'Andre Swift is closing in on another with 760 yards and seven touchdowns. He is averaging 6.8 yards per carry and 11.4 yards per catch on 13 receptions. Led by Thomas, the line play helped earn Swift the SEC's Offensive Player of the Week after a 179-yard rushing game Oct. 19 against Kentucky, his career-high. Thomas has been the SEC's Offensive Lineman of the Week twice.