The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024 to bolster Trevor Lawrence's arsenal of weapons. Based on how the rookie wideout has played, it's fair to say that the Jags hit it out of the ballpark. And heading into the season finale, head coach Doug Pederson gave Thomas the highest possible compliment.
Pederson met with the local media ahead of the Week 18 game against the Indianapolis Colts and told the local media that the benchmark for Thomas should be either J'Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, two of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
"Well, I think that benchmark would have to be a guy like J'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson. I'd have to be those type of receivers." Pederson told the local media when asked what Thoma's ceiling is. "His rookie numbers this year, we talked about Randy Moss, who's Hall of Fame wide receiver."
Pederson continued, "And not putting BT in the Hall of Fame yet, but he's got at least a start, but I think you got to look at Justin Jefferson and J'Marr and those guys and say, 'Hey, if he's in that company, you can continue to get better,' And those guys continue to improve, and their ceiling is extremely high, and their impact players for their teams. They're game changers for their teams and that's what we see Brian Thomas as."
However you look at it, that's high praise coming from Pederson. For context, Thomas is just one of four receivers in league history to tally 1,100 yards or more and at least 10 touchdowns as a rookie. The other three are Chase, Odell Beckham Jr., and Randy Moss.
Speaking of Moss, Thomas became the second receiver in NFL history to have eight games with 60 yards or more and at least one touchdown as a rookie.
Mac Jones 🎯 BTJ
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When you put all things together, the comparison to either Jefferson or Chase isn't farfetched.
The future is bright for Brian Thomas Jr. The Jaguars should be thrilled
Heading into the Colts game, Thomas has 80 receptions for 1,179 yards with 10 touchdowns. He has a strong case to earn a Pro Bowl designation and maybe even consideration for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Doug Pederson believes the former LSU Tiger most definitely deserves consideration for OROY honors even if he ultimately gets overlooked.
"I think he's, would definitely be in that conversation," Pederson responded when asked if he thought Thomas was an OPOY candidate. "The quarterback position obviously gets the most looks, and Jayden has played well. I mean, he's played the Commanders to where they are and obviously continues to play. So, yeah, if it wasn't for that, he definitely be in that conversation."
There's a strong chance that either Jayden Daniels or Bo Nix will ultimately get the nod because both of them played a huge role in their respective team's turnaround this season while the Jags are 4-12 even with Brian Thomas Jr.
But even if Brian Thomas ultimately gets snubbed, the Jacksonville Jaguars should feel great about the fact that they found a franchise building block, one who will catch passes from Trevor Lawrence for years to come.