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Brian Thomas Jr. Earns Surprising Mention Alongside NFL Superstars

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Couden | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 10:10 PM ET

Following a strong rookie campaign, Brian Thomas Jr. appears ready for a breakout sophomore season. The Jacksonville Jaguars will rely on their young star as part of a solid group of receivers as they attempt to regain playoff success behind Trevor Lawrence.

He'll be on the field with other talented receivers, including Dyami Brown, Parker Washington, and promising rookie Travis Hunter. However, some believe Thomas Jr. will be the one getting all the praise.

In his debut NFL season, fans marveled as he racked up 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns on 87 receptions. The former LSU star also helped with six rushing player for 48 yards and achieved Pro Bowl status as a newcomer.

One analyst believes Thomas Jr. is poised for a stellar 2025 NFL season that could have him discussed with several elite players.

Thomas Jr. is ranked at No. 44 on CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco's Top 100 NFL Players list. Prisco mentions that the rookie Hunter is getting all the talk before the new season, but that many people forget how impressive Thomas Jr. was on a bad offense last season.

That's not all, Prisco also mentioned several other elite receivers that he expects Thomas Jr. to be contending with for top-tier status.

"By this time next year, we're going to be talking about Brian Thomas Jr. in the same class as Ja'marr Chase and Justin Jefferson," he said during CBS Sports HQ.

"By this time next year, we're going to be talking about Brian Thomas Jr. in the same class as Ja'marr Chase and Justin Jefferson."@PriscoCBS ranks Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 44 in his Top 100 NFL Players. pic.twitter.com/03kDj80PN5
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) June 18, 2025

For Prisco's 2025 list, Thomas Jr. is the sixth overall receiver to appear in the top 100. The only players ahead of him are Justin Jefferson, Ja'marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, and A.J. Brown.

Earlier this month, the sophomore receiver had an injury scare at minicamp, colliding with teammate Tyson Campbell. Despite fear of a shoulder injury, NFL.com reported head coach Liam Coen said Thomas Jr. was “fine,” and it was just a bruise.

Thomas Jr. isn't the only Jacksonville Jaguars player to appear on Prisco's list. Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen is No. 76 with Prisco mentioning he's dropped weight which will help him be more explosive this coming season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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