Jaguars player faces most pressure in 2024 NFL season

When the Jacksonville Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, a hole was created that Trent Baalke and his team had to quickly fill.

Granted, the Jaguars also meddled in free agency by signing former Buffalo Bills player Gabe Davis to a new three-year, $39 million contract. However, he’s more of a flash in the pan than a true WR1, and that’s why Jacksonville had to keep an eye on the draft, as there were enough top prospects who could make a difference from the start.

After going from 17 to 23, the Jaguars got their man in Brian Thomas Jr., a big, fast, strong pass catcher from LSU who looks like a future star, but terribly mixed reactions from fans, experts and Baton Rouge pundits.

At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds with long arms, a prodigious burst, and a 4.33 40-yard dash that proves he can fly around the field with ease as a super-big deep threat, Thomas Jr. broke out as a junior for the LSU Tigers in 2023, catching a career-high 68 passes for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns against fellow first-round pick Malik Nabers. While his highs are impressive and his big plays are on par with every other wide receiver in the 2024 class, even consensus No. 1 pick Marvin Harrison Jr. — so much so that Chris Simms named him the best receiver in the class of 2024 — the bulk of Thomas Jr.’s production has come on a handful of basic routes, leading some to question whether he’ll be able to put up the numbers against bigger cornerbacks who know how to defend a vertical-only receiver.

Keep in mind that the Jaguars currently have two other receivers in Davis and Christian Kirk. They are both speedy players who like to do damage by going vertically up and down the field. The Jaguars really need to find a way for Thomas Jr. to contribute right away, especially at the X position. There, he can fight through contact at the line of scrimmage and then run down the field for go’s, comebacks, posts, and hook routes. He can also throw some interior screen passes.

Typically, rookie receivers are given some space to acclimate to the NFL level, with other receivers around them who can make their job flow again. In Jacksonville, Thomas Jr. will have to step into the equation right away for the Jaguars, and if he struggles from the start, the team really won’t have the firepower around him to overcome any early issues.

Trevor Lawrence appreciates the Jaguar rookie’s efforts

While media and draft experts have been divided over Thomas Jr.’s potential as a pro, there is one person who has already given the LSU receiver a positive professional evaluation: Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback who just signed a huge contract five years, $275 million extension earlier this off-season.

Lawrence discussed what he saw from Thomas Jr. during their time together in Jacksonville last month and was pleased with what he’s seen so far. He noted that the LSU product’s speed is exactly as promised.

“I really like him. He’s obviously just talented, he can fly, he’s really smart and that’s what I’m most impressed with, he picks up the offense super quick. I’m impressed. It’s tough for a rookie, obviously I was there at one point, and I was swimming a little bit and to see him come out here and pick it all up and really not miss a beat is impressive. And the more he gets comfortable in the system and knows what he has to do, the better and better he’s going to be,” Lawrence explained via Jacksonville.com.

“I think he’s doing a good job of taking it all in, and that’s what it’s all about this time: learning as much as possible. During training camp you continue to learn, of course, but you also want to perform at your best during training camp and prepare for the regular season.”

With the body of a certified X-receiver, plus great length, a long wingspan and enough burst to get up the field with ease, Thomas Jr. figures to be a legitimate difference-maker for the Jaguars this fall. Will he really make it, making fans forget about Calvin Ridley and a few others en route to a certified coronation as the NFC South’s new rookie sensation? Only time will tell, but if Thomas can get on the same page with Lawrence early on and earn the Clemson passer’s trust, it will only make his transition to the pro game that much easier.