Draft Analysis: Brian Thomas Jr.

March 26, 2024 /
  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 209 lb.
  • College: LSU
  • Tape watched: Alabama, Ole Miss, Miss State, Florida State, Missouri, Arkansas
  • NFL Comparison: Martavis Bryant

Pros

  • Deep Threat

Brian Thomas Jr. possesses some of the most effortless speed in the class. He is one of the smoothest deep threats I have scouted. If he can open his strides down the field, there aren’t many athletes keeping up. He tracks the ball well over both of his shoulders, and he really showed the ability to pluck the ball out of the air with his hands instead of chest-trapping.

Early hands at his break point and top-tier acceleration send Thomas Jr. Right by his defender.

Midline

  • Hands

As mentioned, Brian Thomas Jr. is very good tracking the ball on throws over his shoulders. Where I thought he struggled were with his chest to the quarterback. Thomas Jr. had occasional focus drops and allowed the ball into his pads far too often. He has long arms and a huge catch radius with his frame. He just needs to become more dominant at the catch point. You are left wanting more aggression and dominance in the air from a player of Thomas Jr.’s size.

  • Release

When he gets set and is ready to go with a plan of attack, watch out. Unfortunately, Thomas Jr. has too many reps lacking purpose off the line. There are times he looks lost, confused, or disinterested in the play that he is running. When he fires off the line of scrimmage, he looks like a track star. Brian Thomas Jr. has so much potential through his route stem, he just needs more consistency.

  • Route Running

There is no doubt about it, Brian Thomas Jr. can run deep routes. He immediately flashes on streaks and posts, where he can maintain his speed and open his strides. I thought he had a nice feel for how the defense flowed in zone coverages. Thomas Jr. can struggle to lower his hips and get through in-breaking routes. He lost his footing on hitches and comebacks due to the same struggles of changing direction and gearing down his speed.

A really wide stem takes away a safe place for the quarterback to throw the ball. Thomas Jr. is forced to the sideline and has a subsequent drop from a difficult catch.

Cons

  • Blocking

Brian Thomas Jr. has a lanky frame that struggles to create leverage. He tries too often to use his arm length to push defenders out of plays. He rarely stalks and finds a blocking position effectively.

  • YAC

Brian Thomas Jr. creates yards after the catch almost exclusively with space to run vertically. He is a consistently easy runner to tackle for defenders. He does not have jukes, spin moves, or stiff arms in his toolbox, and he does not run with power.

Overview

There is no question, Brian Thomas Jr. has alarming upside. With 17 touchdowns in 2023 and his recent combine performance, his ceiling is somewhere in the stars. However, he can refine his hands and route running underneath safeties. Thomas Jr. needs to play more aggressively in his blocking game, attacking the football, and just overall working towards being a dominant X receiver in the NFL.