Brian Thomas Jr. put together an eye-popping rookie NFL season in 2024. Along with Malik Nabers, Thomas is the latest former LSU Tiger receiver to thrive at the NFL ranks. Nabers and Thomas both orchestrated strong rookie campaigns, joining other fellow Tigers Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson as some of the top wideouts in the NFL last season.
Heading into Year 2, Thomas is looking build off his sensational rookie season. He is already receiving high praise, as he was ranked No. 61 on NFL's Top 100 Players for 2025.
Brian Thomas Jr eyes another monster season for Jaguars
Thomas was selected with the 23rd overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2024 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, setting Jaguars rookie records with 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 1,282 receiving yards ranked third in the league, with fellow LSU alums Ja'Marr Chase (1,708) and Justin Jefferson (1,533) ranking No. 1 and 2 respectively.
Thomas was able to achieve those numbers without Jacksonville's QB1 Trevor Lawrence for seven games. Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury as well as a concussion last season, missing a significant chunk of games. The former Clemson QB is healthy to start the new season, which bodes well for Thomas in his sophomore campaign.
The Jaguars also have a new offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an impressive season as their offensive coordinator in 2024. Tampa Bay's 29.5 points per game ranked fourth in the NFL last season, and QB Baker Mayfield threw for a career-high 4,500 yards. It wouldn't be surprising to see Lawrence take a step forward under Coen. If that's the case, this Jacksonville offense will be fun to watch.
As he stated earlier this summer, Thomas certainly feels like he can expand on his rookie season numbers:
"I definitely feel like I can do more. I feel like there's more in the tank for me, so each and every day, each and every game I'm going to come out there and show everything that I can do, show what I can do, try to be better than I was last year."Brian Thomas Jr
The Jaguars traded up to select Travis Hunter second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. While he is sure to get plenty of targets, it shouldn't hinder Thomas' opportunities. The LSU product is still Jacksonville's bonafide No. 1 receiver, and should see even more targets with a full season of Lawrence as his quarterback. With that in mind, don't be surprised if Thomas surpasses his rookie totals in 2025.