Brian Thomas Jr. getting surreal amount of hype amid strong preseason for Jaguars

Players picked up in the first round tend to get plenty of hype. Some will live up to it, some won't, but Brian Thomas Jr., the 23 overall selection in this year's draft, is off to a great start for the Jacksonville Jaguars. His promising preseason has led to widespread recognition from teammates, analysts, and even opponents.

Thomas was a key cog for the Tigers in 2023, hauling in 68 receptions for 1,177 yards with 17 touchdowns. But despite his production, he wasn't as highly touted as the big 3 — Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Rome Odunze. Still, the Louisiana native was projected to go in the first round. One reason was his 4.33-second speed and his ability to stretch the field.

Having lost Calvin Ridley in free agency, the Jaguars were in need to fill the void his departure left at wide receiver. They showed interest in Odunze and Nabers but they would've had to trade into the top 10 to have a shot at landing either one. Instead, general manager Trent Baalke held on the 17th overall selection and when Jacksonville was on the clock, they agreed to move down to No. 23 in exchange for extra selections.

The Jags ended up taking Thomas. While the early reviews weren't particularly impressive, he stood out in offseason activities. While the rookie hit a speed bump early in training camp, he quickly progressed and routinely made plays in practice. He then showed his deep-threat capability with a 41-yard catch in the preseason opener.

In the second preseason bout, Thomas only had one grab for 13 yards but showed just how improved his route-running looks.

Heading into the bout. He got rave reviews from Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles and players who were tasked with defending him during joint practices.

The national media is hopping on the Brian Thomas Jr. bandwagon

The praise for Brian Thomas Jr. has continued heading into the preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports is certainly impressed with what he's seen from the rookie.

"I really believe that I do too," Prisco said when asked if Thomas is special. "I thought his tape in college was fantastic last year, which was why early in camp, I was a little surprised that he wasn't doing what I thought he would do. But again, that's when guys think, they're thinking too much early. Now it looks like he turned it on. When you can turn it on like that, and you understand the concepts and the playbook and everything else, they're going to play a lot faster, so he plays to what his speed is."

Prisco continued, "You're right, he could end up being truly special for them and that's the element that they need. They need that go-to guy down the field not just this year but you're talking about the long-term. You might have a Chase/Jefferson kind of player on your hands, and that's something Trevor Lawrence will have for a long time."

For context, Prisco is saying that Thomas can become a game-changer in the same breath as Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, two of the top receivers in the NFL nowadays. Here's his full appearance on the 1010 XL in case you want to give it a look.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, for his part, dubbed Thomas the Jags' X-Factor for the 2024 season, noting that Trevor Lawrence will bounce back if the rookie wide plays like he did at LSU last year.

"Calvin Ridley emerged as Lawrence's top target last season, but the Jags lost him to Tennessee in free agency. Jacksonville then used the 23rd overall pick on Thomas, and they need the rookie to adjust quickly.

Thomas was an explosive if unpolished receiver at LSU, and he tallied an impressive 1,177 and 17 touchdowns last season. He'll need to improve his route-running and contested-catch ability to immediately break out as Lawrence's new top target, but there's certainly a lot to like.

If Thomas can replicate the production he had for the Tigers last season, Lawrence could be staring down his best NFL season yet."

Thomas' route-running has certainly improved since last year. Sure, he's still a work in progress and must continue to hone his skills. That said, he's done enough to make you think that he can be the player the Jaguars expected.

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