Cowboys draft 2024: WR Brian Thomas Jr. scouting report

Here is our scouting report on wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU

We continue our 2024 NFL Draft review of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU).

Brian Thomas Jr
WR
LSU Tigers
Junior
4-star recruit
Height- 6’4”
Weight- 205 lbs

History:
Brian Thomas Jr. was a four-star recruit out of high school according to 247 Sports. He was in high demand receiving 16 offers, with a lot of intrigue due to the fact Thomas was a two-sport standout who played basketball at a high level. He finally decided to sign with LSU in 2021.

In his freshman year, Thomas quickly found himself taking to the field and getting starting snaps. On 435 snaps, he grabbed 28 receptions off 41 targets. He registered 359 receiving yards and two touchdowns while acquiring a 111.7 passer rating when targeted.

In 2022, Thomas played in all 13 of LSU’s games which included the SEC Championship game. Thomas’ role and production was similar to his freshman year. He had 31 receptions off 48 targets for 361 yards and five touchdowns.

It was in 2023 Thomas really exploded onto the scene. He started in all 13 games for LSU, playing 752 total snaps on offense. He had 68 receptions off 87 targets, finishing second on the team in receiving yards with 1,178 yards and led the team and the nation in receiving touchdowns, scoring 17 times.

2023 Statistics:
752 Total snaps
87 Targets
68 Receptions
1,177 Receiving Yards
17 TD
17.3 Avg
386 YAC
5 Drops
148.8 Passer Rating

NFL Combine/Pro Day:
TBD

Awards:
All-SEC Second Team

Scorecard:
Overall- 92.2/100
Catching- 80/100
Route Running- 79/100
Deep Threat- 98/100
YAC Skills- 90/100
Blocking- 60/100
Speed- 91/100
Strength-71/100
Acceleration- 96/100
Agility- 95/100

THE GOOD:

• Elite vertical speed who is a genuine big-play threat when he’s on the field.
• Height and length to tower over defenders on deep plays. Massive wingspan allows for an even bigger window for quarterbacks.
• Elite acceleration and agility. Can stop-start extremely quickly.
• Shows extremely good body control and agility.
• Knows how to use his gears and change of direction when he has the ball in his hands, making him a big yard-after-catch threat.
• Uses his explosiveness and speed on route stems to beat press man very effectively.
• Very good ball tracking skills on deep passes which deceives defenders.
• Great on jump-balls or high pointing the ball downfield.
• A huge redzone target for quarterbacks to find and throw to with confidence.

THE BAD:

• Very limited route tree. Runs go routes and posts routes better than any other in this draft class, but you don’t see much else on tape with a high degree of success.
• One-year wonder with two years of mediocre production.
• Lacks physicality to beat press man against corners that were able to match his athleticism. This is very odd given his overwhelming size.
• His size causes him to have sloppy and predictable footwork on releases. This is seen most of short routes.

THE FIT:
There are few vertical threats in this year’s draft that are as productive and efficient as Brian Thomas. When a player leads the FBS in receiving touchdowns for a team in the SEC, then that player has to demand attention. Thomas has a ceiling that is one of the highest at the wide receiver position this year based on the fact he’s a quality playmaker. His size and speed along with his explosiveness and fantastic deep ball ability is enough to see him drafted in the first round. His yards-after-catch skills are excellent, showing great creativity and when mixed with his athletic traits, makes him a valuable threat on any NFL team.

But while Thomas is an elite deep receiver, he is a player that sets up shop downfield and doesn’t give an offense much else. Any route that required him to plant and go on short distances would see him look uncoordinated and he would fail to separate. Another major flaw with Thomas is the fact he relies a lot on his speed and acceleration, meaning he rarely relies on his strength, or lack of strength. He can struggle to beat press coverage at times and he gets pushed around on blocks.

In the long run, Thomas has the foundation to have a solid and productive NFL career. Getting to work on his physicality and strength will be the main focus of his development, and doing so will unlock even more production and home run plays. He has the speed, he has the explosiveness, he has the skills as a ball carrier. There should be no doubt he will be productive in the NFL.

COMPARISON:-
D.J. Chark, Carolina Panthers

GRADE:
Early second-round grade

CONSENSUS RANKING:
21st
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)