Ben Arthur
AFC South Reporter
After the primary day of the NFL Draft, Jaguars common supervisor Trent Baalke saved it actual.
He was requested if Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville’s first-round decide, would’ve been recognized as one of many group’s high prospects if Calvin Ridley had been re-signed in free company.
“In all probability not,” Baalke admitted. “Not with that decide.”
Ridley’s departure was a significant loss for the franchise, one not utterly made up for by the addition of Gabe Davis in free company. Ridley final season was the Jags’ main pass-catcher with 1,016 receiving yards and their solely high wideout to play 17 video games. The No. 23 total decide, Thomas is tasked with not solely filling Ridley’s void, but additionally serving to to deliver the perfect out of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who had a disappointing 2023 season.
A technique Thomas figures to do this is along with his pace.
He ran an official 4.33-second 40-yard sprint on the NFL Scouting Mix, second-fastest amongst vast receivers. And his acceleration is much more eye-popping. His 1.78-second “flying 20” was the quickest amongst all gamers on the mix. He additionally had the second-highest athletic rating amongst all gamers at his place on the occasion.
Thomas’ capacity to get behind defenses was evident at LSU, the place he led the FBS with 17 receiving touchdowns in 2023. On throws of 20-plus yards final season, he had 15 receptions on 22 targets for 670 yards and 12 touchdowns, based on Professional Soccer Focus.
“Simply my capacity to make use of my pace, be capable to get open, create house on defenders,” Thomas mentioned in describing his recreation. “I’d say that is only a large function in how I play.”
In Ridley’s departure, Jacksonville misplaced its most prolific speedster. His common most route pace was 22.11 miles per hour, greater than two mph quicker than every other talent participant on the roster, based on Subsequent Gen Stats. Ridley’s common route pace of 14.2 mph was additionally the best among the many group’s talent gamers who ran no less than 50 routes final season.
Jacksonville is getting a few of that pace again in Thomas.
“You are including a talented receiver,” coach Doug Pederson mentioned of the rookie. “You are including depth. You are including a man that has a component of pace that we have not had most likely since Calvin final yr. … I believe it will probably solely be an excellent asset for us on offense to not solely open up the sphere, however I believe open up another components of the offense.”
That may embrace the intermediate passing recreation.
Between Thomas and Davis, who was sixth within the NFL final season with 16.6 yards per reception, the Jags may have a deep passing recreation that opens up the center of the sphere for tight finish Evan Engram and receiver Christian Kirk, who’s at his greatest working out of the slot.
There might be alternatives there for Thomas, too.
“There’s going to be some completely different coverages that he will see right here on the NFL stage. Plenty of groups attempt to maintain that at bay, they struggle to not get receivers behind you,” Pederson defined. “But it surely’s our job as coaches to be sure that we create alternatives to do this and make the most of that pace.
“What that does then, is open up the second-level space. That is the place these 12-to-15-to-20-to-25-yard ranges are actually essential. That is the place you may spend a whole lot of time and make a whole lot of catches in these areas with what we noticed on tape, with Brian with the ability to separate on the high of the route and use that athleticism and use his power and his dimension to create some openness there in that second stage.”
At LSU, Thomas was half of the FBS’ most dynamic vast receiver tandem final season. He bought behind a number of the SEC’s greatest defenses with ease.
It will likely be tougher within the NFL, the place the defensive backs are smarter, quicker, stronger and extra bodily. The matchups are extra even, typically tipped within the protection’s favor.
That is the house wherein the Jaguars want Thomas to thrive to fill Ridley’s void.
“It’ll take a while, it will take some new studying with a brand new system,” Pederson mentioned. “However I am very assured. We have rookie minicamp arising after which the remainder of the offseason program. We’ll do the whole lot we are able to to get him caught up to the mark as quick as we are able to and get him plugged in.”
Lawrence’s success — the group’s success — could lean closely on it.
Ben Arthur is the AFC South 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 shifting to Tennessee. You may observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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