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Jaguars 2015 Pro Bowl Candidates – TE Julius Thomas

By Justin Moore

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The next player in our Pro Bowl Candidate series is coming off back to back Pro Bowl selections. Julius Thomas was signed by the Jaguars in the offseason to help take the offense to the next level and if he is able to get to the pro bowl with a second year quarterback throwing him passes, than he will have done his job and then some.

Julius Thomas had a very slow start to his NFL career after being drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2011. The Portland State graduate wasn’t able to make an impact in his first two seasons in the NFL but he put himself on the map in 2013. Thomas racked up 108 catches and 24 touchdowns in the 2013 and 2014 seasons and having Peyton Manning probably had something to do with that.

However, Julius Thomas has the athletic ability to be an elite tight end with out Peyton Manning. He has above average speed and the ideal size to be a force at his position. His leaping ability is also very good, his 35.5 inch vertical jump was the highest among all tight ends in the 2011 draft. His highlights over the past two season display his ability to out run defenders after the catch as well as his ability to go up and get the ball.

"“Thomas has the opportunity to be a true leader for a young team. He’s expected to bring reliability and scoring opportunities to an offense that has been outclassed by some high schools squads in recent years. Aside from Blake Bortles, he could have a bigger impact than most every other play maker. He’ll be put in a position to prove he is either something special or is not.” Luke Sims, Black and Teal Writer"

Becoming a reliable playmaker and pro bowler in his first year with the Jaguars would be a great way for Julius Thomas to show that he can be a leader on this offense as well as earn his hefty pay check. Any chance for Julius Thomas to duplicate his numbers from the past two seasons will depend on his ability to build chemistry with young quarterback Blake Bortles and how quickly he can learn the new Jaguars offense. This season will tell us if Julius Thomas can make it to the pro bowl for the third consecutive season, and since he has been there the last two seasons it certainly isn’t unrealistic to think he can do so.

Next: Could Demetrius McCray Make it to the Pro Bowl?

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