Editor’s notice: That is the seventh installment of a season-long collection on a breakout star from the previous week of NFL motion. The Week 7 winner: Jacksonville Jaguars huge receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Tank Bigsby’s face lit up.
After the Jaguars’ 37-34 victory over the Colts earlier this month, Jacksonville’s first win of the season, a reporter requested the second-year operating again about teammate Brian Thomas Jr. That is when Bigsby flashed a smile. He marveled at how the rookie huge receiver regarded like “lightning” on the sector.
The No. 23 total choose, Thomas reached a most pace of twenty-two.15 mph on his 85-yard catch and run landing within the sport, the quickest pace by a ball provider this season, and the quickest play by a Jaguars ball provider since at the least 2016, in accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats.
“I pulled him to the sideline and stated, ‘Boy, you had been operating like a deer,'” Bigsby stated.
And he is continued to because the season has worn on.
Thomas caught all 5 of his targets for 89 yards and a landing, plus a profitable two-point conversion, within the Jaguars’ 32-16 rout of the New England Patriots in London on Sunday. His pace was evident on his 58-yard reception that arrange a landing within the second quarter, when Jacksonville erupted for 22 factors, the fourth-most factors the franchise has ever scored within the interval.
Establishing himself because the Jaguars’ WR1, the previous LSU star has at the least 5 catches and 80 receiving yards in three of his previous 4 video games. His numbers rank among the many league’s finest receivers no matter expertise. By means of Week 7, he ranks sixth within the league in receiving yards (513), eighth in yards per reception (17.1), landing receptions (4) and receiving yards per sport (73.3), and eleventh in yards per goal (11.4).
Among the many 39 huge receivers with at the least 37 targets, he is additionally ninth in NFL passer score when focused (116.2), in accordance with Professional Soccer Focus.
“I believe every week he retains getting higher and higher,” coach Doug Pederson stated Sunday. “We have now to proceed to search out methods to scheme him open.”
In a 2024 huge receiver class headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze, Thomas slid a bit underneath the radar — regardless of main the FBS final season with 17 landing receptions. However he is arguably been the perfect of them, rating first or second in most receiving classes amongst rookie huge receivers.
Thomas has been as marketed as a deep risk. His 85-yard catch-and-run landing within the Colts sport was the second-longest reception within the NFL this season.
“Clearly, you see just a few across the league which can be quick and may break free,” quarterback Trevor Lawrence stated earlier this month. “In the event that they get within the open area, there’s no one that is going to catch them on the opposite facet of the ball. He is undoubtedly a kind of guys. So the extra we will discover alternatives to get him the ball in these conditions, we will rating a variety of factors with him.”
Why Thomas was profitable in Week 7
His pace, in the beginning.
Thomas’ 58-yard reception got here off a thin put up route down the numbers on the correct facet of the sector. Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez did not stand an opportunity with no assist excessive.
Thomas’ most route pace of 21.42 mph is the fifth-highest within the NFL, in accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats. He has run 25 routes at 18-plus miles per hour, sixth-most within the league, and 6 routes at 20-plus mph, tied for fourth-most.
“They had been taking part in quarters, and the safeties had been taking part in type of low,” Thomas stated of the play. “So I knew that if I used to be in a position to get by my man and run out on my break, I might be open.”
Three of Thomas’ 5 receptions Sunday got here out of bunch formations, which may make his pace much more tough to cowl. Not solely do they make it arduous for defenses to press, however in addition they provide route flexibility for receivers, create fast separation for them and mismatches within the offense’s favor.
Defenses can get burned on bunch formations attributable to poor communication, which is what occurred to the Patriots in opposition to the Jaguars. Within the second quarter, Thomas went unaccounted for operating a shallow cross within the purple zone, resulting in his six-yard landing.
Within the third quarter, Lawrence additionally audibled right into a display move for Thomas on a third-and-4 out of bunch formation, which resulted in a conversion. The rookie had veterans Christian Kirk and Evan Engram as lead blockers, giving him sufficient house to choose up the primary down along with his pace.
That was a part of a possession the place Jacksonville gave the first-round choose 4 touches in a five-play span.
“It is enjoyable to play with him,” Lawrence stated.
“We obtained to maintain utilizing him.”
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a yr and a half. He lined the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You may comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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