During his stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, former general manager Dave Caldwell made several baffling decisions. However, he also had a few hits. His 2020 draft class left much to be desired, as most of the picks flopped. However, a few of them panned out, including defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, who remains with the Jags in 2026.
Another Jacksonville draft pick from 2020 that has managed to stick around in the NFL is Daniel Thomas. While he's no longer with the Jags, he's found a new home after spending the 2025 season with the Detroit Lions.
Former Jaguars special teams ace Daniel Thomas is signing with the Browns
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Daniel Thomas is signing with the Cleveland Browns after spending one season with the Detroit Lions.
In Jacksonville, Thomas appeared in 83 games with six starts, registering one interception and three passes defensed.
A fifth-round pick in 2020, Thomas quickly carved a niche on special teams but also started a few games as a rookie. However, he tumbled down the depth chart the following year after the arrivals of Rayshawn Jenkins and Andre Cisco.
Nevertheless, Thomas remained heavily involved on special teams, which is why he signed a two-year extension in 2024. The former Auburn Tiger stood out for his work as a gunner, but he became a victim of the numbers game once the Jags brougth in Eric Murray, Caleb Ransaw, and Rayuane Lane last year.
After being shown the door in Jacksonville, Thomas signed with the Lions but missed time with a forearm injury. He returned for the end of the season but didn't do much of note. The Montgomery, Alabama native ended up appearing in 12 games with 12 starts but was mostly limited to special teams, logging 69 percent of the team's total snaps.
With the Browns, Thomas probably won't get much playing time on defense, but Cleveland should feel great about his impact on special teams.
Appreciating Daniel Thomas' stint with the Jaguars
More often than not, teams see Day 3 picks as either special teams candidates or developmental prospects. Every now and then, a gem is unveiled, but teams don't go into Rounds 6 or 7 thinking they're going to come out with a Hall-of-Fame player.
Either way, the later rounds allow teams to build the backbone of their rosters, and the Jags found a steady contributor when they drafted Daniel Thomas in 2020. Looking back, he didn't make many game-altering plays with the Jags, but he always came through when thrust on special teams.
And that's the thing, clubs cannot have a roster full of All-Pros. They need backups and special teams contributors. Daniel Thomas was such a player for the Jaguars, then the Lions, and more recently the Browns.