Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers are the hot ticket items on the LSU offense, but Brian Thoams Jr. is an incredible NFL Draft talent in his own right. But does he have the scouting report of a potential first-round pick?
Brian Thomas Jr. Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 205
- Position: WR
- School: LSU
- Current Year: Junior
Thomas was a consensus four-star recruit out of Walker High School in Walker, Louisiana. His rankings ranged from the 68th-best player in the country, according to 247Sports, to the 140th-best player, according to Rivals.
Before focusing on just football in his senior year of high school, Thomas had posted three consecutive 1,000-point seasons as a basketball player at WHS.
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Thomas made an immediate impact as a freshman, hauling in 28 passes for 359 yards. But as a sophomore, he managed only two more yards on three more receptions while playing an extra game.
But Thomas exploded in 2023, along with his quarterback. They’ve helped each other’s draft stock immensely throughout the season. He’s been a big-play threat and a touchdown machine while also improving his body composition to become a more physical presence.
Brian Thomas Jr. Scouting Report
Strengths
- Strong start/stop
- Outstanding length
- Easy explosiveness
- Fluid mover
- Violent change of direction with the ball in his hands
- Incredible red-zone weapon because of high-point prowess
- Impressive release repertoire
- Ball-tracking makes him a consistent downfield threat
- Impressive zone coverage awareness
- Alpha mentality attacking the ball
Weaknesses
- Inefficient acute route breaks
- Vertical plane and crossing threat but underdeveloped overall route tree
- Long limbs and unsteady footwork make route breaks inconsistent
- Must use more speed and bend using athleticism to uncover
- Still becoming a more physical presence along the route stem
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Thomas isn’t a perfect prospect and won’t be universally lauded throughout the league. He’s not a one-trick pony, but he fits into a niche role early on at the next level as he improves in the finer details of being a professional route runner.
However, he also has a trump card. While he is not as physically imposing as Keon Coleman or Xavier Legette, he wins in the air at a ridiculous rate. But unlike Coleman, Thomas has legitimate breakaway speed to pair with his innate tracking ability. That’s not a surprising revelation, considering his basketball background.
Teams looking for an immediate vertical threat with No. 1 upside should be giving Thomas a serious look. Teams with quarterbacks who like to consistently make leveraged throws away from draping defenders, trusting their guy to go make a play, should be taking a serious look at the LSU receiver. He possesses the alpha mentality that is popular for the 2024 class but has been missing over the years in previous classes.
Given his impressive movement skills with the ball in his hands, it isn’t crazy to believe that Thomas could quickly round into a true three-level threat.
NFL Draft Scouting Reports
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