Editor’s notice: This is the seventh episode of a season-long sequence a few breakout star of the previous week of NFL motion. Week 7 winner: The Jacksonville Jaguars vast receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Tank Bigsby’s face lit up.
After the Jaguars’ 37-34 win over the Colts earlier this month, Jacksonville’s first win of the season, a reporter requested teammate second-year operating again Brian Thomas Jr. That’s when Bigsby smiled . He marveled at how the rookie vast receiver regarded like a “lightning bolt” on the sector.
Chosen no. 23 total, Thomas reached a prime pace of twenty-two.15 mph on his 85-yard catch-and-run landing within the recreation, the quickest pace by a ball service this season and the quickest recreation by a cross rusher Jaguars ball since not less than 2016, based on Next Gen Stats.
“I pulled him to the sideline and mentioned, ‘Boy, you had been operating like a deer,’” Bigsby mentioned.
And he continued to take action because the season went on.
Thomas caught all 5 of his targets for 89 yards and a landing, in addition to a profitable two-point conversion, within the Jaguars’ 32-16 loss to the New England Patriots in London on Sunday. His pace was evident in his 58-yard reception that arrange a landing within the second quarter, as Jacksonville exploded for 22 factors, the fourth-most factors the franchise has ever scored within the interval.
Establishing himself because the Jaguars’ WR1, the previous LSU star has not less than 5 receptions and 80 receiving yards in three of his final 4 video games. His numbers rank among the many finest receivers within the league, no matter expertise. Through Week 7, he ranks sixth within the league in receiving yards (513), eighth in yards per reception (17.1), landing receptions (4) and receiving yards per recreation (73.3), and eleventh in receiving yards per goal (11.4).
According to Pro Football Focus, among the many 39 vast receivers with not less than 37 targets, he’s additionally ninth within the NFL’s passer score when focused (116.2).
“I feel each week he continues to get higher and higher,” coach Doug Pederson mentioned Sunday. “We must proceed to seek out methods to get it open.”
In a 2024 vast receiver class led by Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze, Thomas has slipped underneath the radar a bit, regardless of main the FBS final season with 17 landing receptions. But he was in all probability the perfect of them, rating first or second in most receiving classes amongst rookie vast receivers.
Thomas was touted as a deep menace. His 85-yard catch-and-run landing within the Colts recreation was the second-longest reception within the NFL this season.
“Obviously, you see some across the league which can be quick and might break free,” quarterback Trevor Lawrence mentioned earlier this month. “If they get into the open area, there isn’t any one who’s going to catch them on the opposite aspect of the ball. He’s positively a kind of guys. So the extra we are able to discover alternatives to get him the ball in these conditions, we’ll rating a number of factors with him .”
Why Thomas was profitable in Week 7
Its pace, firstly.
Thomas’ 58-yard reception got here from a good put up route alongside the numbers on the correct aspect of the sector. Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez did not stand an opportunity with none assist excessive.
Thomas’ prime route pace of 21.42 mph is the fifth-highest within the NFL, based on Next Gen Stats. He ran 25 routes over 18 mph, sixth-most within the league, and 6 routes over 20 mph, tied for fourth-most.
“They had been taking part in quarterfinals and the safeties had been fairly low,” Thomas mentioned of the play. “So I knew if I may get previous my man and end through the break, I might be open.”
Three of Thomas’ 5 receptions on Sunday got here in cluster formations, which may make his pace even more durable to cowl. Not solely do they make it troublesome for defenses to press, however in addition they provide route flexibility for receivers, create fast separation for them and mismatches in favor of the offense.
Defenses can get burned in bunch formations as a result of poor communication, which is what occurred to the Patriots towards the Jaguars. In the second quarter, Thomas disappeared for operating a shallow cross into the pink zone, resulting in his six-yard landing.
In the third quarter, Lawrence additionally heard a display screen cross to Thomas in a third-and-4 outfield formation, which led to a conversion. The rookie had veterans Christian Kirk and Evan Engram as his main blockers, giving him sufficient room to choose up first downs together with his pace.
This was a part of a possession by which Jacksonville gave the first-round decide 4 touches in a five-play span.
“He’s enjoyable to play with,” Lawrence mentioned.
“We must hold utilizing it.”
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, the place he was Titans beat the author for a 12 months and a half. It lined the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) earlier than transferring to Tennessee. You can comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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