The Jacksonville Jaguars selected LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with the No. 23 pick in Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 209-pound receiver turned down several Division I college basketball offers to play football at LSU. He started three seasons in Baton Rouge, but his junior year was his most productive as he caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and an FBS-leading 17 touchdowns.
That touchdown total was the most since current Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith’s 23 in his Heisman Trophy-winning season at Alabama in 2020.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
Thomas ranked No. 15 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“A former basketball recruit, Thomas has unique body movements for his size (before and after the catch) with the focus and coordination to make plays above the rim. He consistently gets on top of coverage with his quick acceleration (his 1.78-second “flying 20” was the fastest at the combine), although crisper cuts and improved leverage will help him create better separation out of breaks. Overall, Thomas plays with impressive length, fluid speed and ball-winning athleticism. If his route efficiency catches up with his natural talent, he will be a dangerous weapon in the NFL.”
Coaching intel
What an anonymous coach had to say about Thomas in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“Potentially, I think can be really good in the NFL. He was a red zone nightmare. Even if you were in great position, he could still win those 50-50 balls. But he didn’t scare you with (yards after catch) like (Malik) Nabers did.”
Why he’s a first-round pick
Thomas averaged 17.3 yards per catch in 2023 as he was named a third-team All-American and earned second-team All-SEC honors. He demonstrated his athletic ability at the combine running a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash and jumping 38 1/2 inches in the vertical jump.
There goes @BrianThomas_11 AGAIN
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/rDZkjYhoko
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 24, 2023
Grade
After losing receiver Calvin Ridley in free agency, the Jaguars needed a replacement that could stretch the field and develop into a No. 1 for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville may have found both aspects in Brian Thomas Jr. He’s got tremendous athletic ability and is capable of catching double-digit touchdown passes as a rookie.
At LSU alongside Malik Nabers, Thomas (6-3, 209) was a third-team All-American who led the country in touchdown catches with 17. He caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards (17.3 yards per catch). At the combine, Thomas ran a 4.33 40-yard dash, which was the second-fastest among all receivers. Grade: A- — Scott Dochterman, college football reporter
Fantasy evaluation
In other years, Thomas might have been Tier 1. Thomas has Nico Collins upside, so while the Jaguars still have Christian Kirk and added Gabe Davis, Thomas has the ability to step in as a top-two option. In fact, Thomas can replicate Calvin Ridley’s 2023 season of 76 recs, 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns with more consistency and fewer targets. That was good enough for WR18, and while I won’t project Thomas quite that high, he’s in a great spot to be a top-30 WR as a rookie and top-20 dynasty wideout. Davis falls back to his Bills value of being a boom/bust WR3/4. — Jake Ciely, senior writer, fantasy
(Photo: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)
