Brian Thomas Jr. made a highlight snag against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. What's on tap for Week 2? Jarrian Jones doesn't hold back with praise.
Demetrius HarveyJacksonville Florida Times-Union
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Trevor Lawrence hasn't taken his foot off the gas much lately, and rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr. is a primary reason why after the Jacksonville Jaguars' first-round pick this year wrapped up an impressive preseason Week 1 followed by a week of practice that featured everything fans wanted to see from the wideout since Day 1.
Thomas' confidence has never been questioned, but it's been plain-as-day easy to see a difference between when he first stepped onto the practice field at the Miller Electric center and today.
The former LSU wideout is poised to take another step on Saturday, Aug. 17, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the team's preseason Week 2 matchup, if he's not a player being held out.
The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
It will air locally on CBS47.
Last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thomas caught one pass for 41 yards in 13 snaps.
Who will play? Not Trevor: Lawrence won't play vs. Buccaneers, Jaguars' Christian Kirk has 'mild' calf injury
In the four practices that followed, Thomas caught a few touchdowns, including at least two dazzling touchdowns during the team's joint practices against the Buccaneers.
Thomas' emergence isn't surprising considering he was one of the top players in college football last year, totaling 17.3 yards per catch and 17 touchdowns. Still, what Jaguars fans and other onlookers expected him to look like took a while to get there as camp unfolded.
His catch, celebrated by nearly every Jaguar on the sideline last Saturday, set the tone for everything else.
"To see him make a play down the field was awesome. I was hoping we'd get an opportunity to give him a shot down the field. That was when C.J. [Beathard] was in. He gave him an opportunity, threw a good ball, [and] Brian [Thomas] made a heck of a play," Lawrence said after the game last Saturday.
"He's a guy that has all the ability in the world, it's starting to click more and more every day. When you see guys make plays like that, [it] instills more confidence in them."
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson echoed Lawrence's thoughts and noted how important the rookie wideout will be to the team's success this year.
"He's very capable, obviously, of making those types of plays. Just an excellent play. I think you see the excitement from the entire team," Pederson said. "We just got to keep Brian coming. He's going to be a big part of our offense."
Brian Thomas Jr., CB Jarrian Jones working to make each other better
Just two days after making an impressive snag during his first chance at NFL action, Thomas didn't let the moment linger like the smell of coffee in the City of Jacksonville.
Instead, he continued to work, getting reps in after practice with releases alongside fellow rookie, cornerback Jarrian Jones. The two have matched up at times during camp, and put in extra work to make each other better. That's been born out throughout camp, but put on display in the Miller Electric Center just before Jones made his way to the podium.
“BT [Brian Thomas Jr.], he has a skill set you can't really teach. For real, you can't teach someone to be long, fast, smooth, get in and out of his breaks, and he’s got crazy ball skills. I had that battle, that match up with him in college," Jones said when asked about the interaction the two had after practice Monday.
Boy, did he.
LSU and Florida State, where Jones played collegiately, matched up in Week 1 last year. While Jones got the last laugh thanks to an impressive second-half showing by the Seminoles leading to a blowout 45-24 victory, Thomas definitely got the better of Florida State's secondary.
Thomas finished the game as the leading receiver from either squad, posting seven receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown. Few knew then that Thomas' season would unfold in the fashion that it did — 68 catches, 1,117 receiving yards, 17 touchdowns and a hug from NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell.
Jones works with Thomas often, making each other better in different ways and now they've built a bond.
"So just being able to go against him every day, we put in work together, we came in together, we learn from each other. I tell him what I saw, he'll tell me what he saw. So, just the growth that he's having through camp," Jones said.
"At first, when we came into camp, he was kind of quiet. He's definitely breaking that shell now because he'll look at you and say something, and you'll be like, ‘Oh, okay,’ like, he really does talk. It’s just been a bond for real.”
It won't happen overnight, but Thomas has all the tools to be successful in the NFL. He's already starting to show onlookers that's the case. For now, Thomas just wants to do what he can to succeed to to help his team win, he said after Saturday's game.
"I want to come out each and every game and put my best foot forward. Just give it my all, go out there and compete," said Thomas.
That starts, again, against the Buccaneers.
Demetrius Harvey istheJacksonville Jaguarsreporterfor the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter,at@Demetrius82.
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