5 Jaguars players whose stock has gone up in OTAs

Brain Thomas Jr. has seen his stock go up in Jaguars OTAs

Several rookies are stepping up in the offseason, and that reflects positively in the front office. General manager Trent Baalke doesn't have a track record as bad as his predecessor's but he didn't draft nearly enough playmakers the past two years. It looks like he bucked the trend in 2024, with first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. is the way.

Thomas will still need to work on his route running and his release. However, he's already displaying his playmaking skills. Moreover, he's building a connection with Trevor Lawrence. There are a couple of clips that have made the rounds online but this is from the most recent practice.

Now, it would've been great to see Thomas make the same catch against coverage but there's still ample time before the season starts. For the time being, he and Lawrence will get the chance to strengthen their bond and perfect their timing.

Devin Lloyd has seen his stock go up in Jaguars OTAs

While the Jaguars expect their rookies to make an impact in 2024, they will also want to see third-year linebacker Devin Lloyd take the next step in his development. A first-round selection in 2021, Lloyd flashed as a rookie but eventually struggled. He managed to be a bit more consistent in his sophomore campaign but it felt like he still could've done more.

In particular, Lloyd didn't make enough game-changing plays, at least not as many as you expect from a first-round selection. On the bright side, it looks like the former Utah Ute is aware that he has yet to reach his ceiling and he's been putting in the work.

John Shipley of Sports Illustrated says that Lloyd looks like a different player in OTAs, noting that he appears to be in peak physical shape. Add the fact that he'll be playing strong linebacker in Ryan Nielsen's system, and the California native is poised to have a breakout season in 2024.

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