Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is already showing off himself as a deep threat

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a bold move in the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. over some notable names like A.D. Mitchell, Keon Coleman, Ladd McConkey, and Xavier Worthy, who all went to AFC teams like the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Chargers. This decision speaks volumes about the potential they see in Thomas Jr. and the impact they believe he can make in the Doug Pederson offense. His arrival is eagerly anticipated, promising a new dynamic to the team's offense.

Last season, the deep threat was virtually non-existent. At LSU, Thomas Jr. was a genuine threat, outperforming everyone with his athleticism, even those who were down the field. The team not only requires that but also a red zone threat - another area of offense they struggled with. Last season, they ranked 21st in red zone TD percentage (50%). Now, Lawrence has a taller receiver with big hands to target who can win 50-50 throws or be targeted on end-zone fades. This strategic move could significantly impact the team's offensive strategy in the upcoming season.

"He's an explosive athlete. He can help open up the field a little bit," general manager Trent Baalke said after the draft. "He's certainly a younger receiver for Trevor to build around and our offense to build around.

"He's a guy that brings a skill set that we haven't necessarily had to that level. He's [6-foot-3], 209 pounds, and he runs a sub 4.4 [40-yard dash]. He's got the production to back it up. We're just looking forward to getting him in here, getting our hands on him, and going to work."

Of any player with at least 15 catches on the season, Christian Kirk had the highest yards per catch at 13.8, which means he was usually the deep threat for the team. Calvin Ridley finished 2023 at 13.4. Kirk can be a serious deep threat if needed, but he is much better suited as a slot- the middle-level field guy because of his size. That's not to say he can't be a deep threat or catch deep balls, but he's better utilized in other areas.

"Definitely, as you've seen, he can take the top off. He's going to see some different coverages, too," Doug Pederson said. "Those are things, as coaches, we will scheme up for him. That's [deep threat] something that we talked about here in the last couple of days, too, about what these skill positions can do.

"It opens up that second level, the intermediate zone, in your passing game. That's where Evan can get a lot of his targets, and Christian gets a lot of targets. Gabe can stretch the field a little bit, Brian can stretch the field now, obviously, and we'll see how this thing unfolds once we get everybody in there and all the pieces together."