Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Growing Into Everything the Jaguars Could Have Imagined

Dec 19, 2024 at 05:02 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – He's good, and that's more obvious by the week.

What's perhaps not as obvious is just why wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been so good so soon this season – and Press Taylor discussed some less obvious reasons Thursday.

Among the reasons: The rookie is a quick learner – to a striking degree.

"He's growing into everything we've asked every single day," Taylor said.

Taylor, in his third season as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator, spoke to the media Thursday in advance of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. He discussed in detail Thomas, who has set two major Jaguars rookie receiving records this season and could break the third Sunday.

"There's a lot of trust; there's a lot of confidence," Taylor said. "His confidence is rising. I think everybody's confidence in him is rising."

Thomas, as Taylor explained it, not only is one of the fastest and most-athletic rookie receivers in the league this season – he also has adapted remarkably quickly to professional football.

"He has shown he has the skill set to do everything we've asked," Taylor said.

Thomas, the No. 23 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, has caught 64 passes for 956 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games this season. The latter two are Jaguars single-season rookie records, and he is tied with Justin Blackmon (2012) for the most receptions in a season by a rookie.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets

WR Brian Thomas Jr. (7)

Thomas' targets have increased in recent weeks as he has set season-highs in that category with 12 and 14, respectively, in the last two games. Taylor said that has coincided with tight end Evan Engram (shoulder), wide receiver Christian Kirk (collarbone) and wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) being out for the season with injuries.

"With all of the injuries, it put more on him," Taylor said. "We kind of took our time building to it, and then we were kind of forced into it with losing Evan, Gabe, Christian, all those guys. He's really just taking all those roles on different things.

"Things that we've thrown to him are things we've thrown to Christian for three years. And now Christian's gone, he takes that role."

Taylor said Thomas has been able to fill the roles of injured players effectively because of a remarkable knowledge of all four receiving roles in the offense.

"We're making sure we don't overload him mentally, and he's proven he can handle a lot of things," Taylor said. "There was that little chunk in there where he wasn't probably 100 percent health-wise. He came off a little injury. We were trying to manage him a little bit.

"From then on, he has taken off. He's confident in what he's asked to do. He's been able to move around and take all these spots that a lot of people have done. He has the ability to do it all. That's the biggest thing.

"If he didn't have that, we wouldn't put that on his plate. We wouldn't ask him to do it all, but he can."

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Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on December 18, 2024.