Rookie Receiver Thomas Eager to Catch On With Jaguars
2024 Brian Thomas Jr. Odds Could Put LSU Star A Factor in ROY Race

Is Thomas Ready to Replace Calvin Ridley As Favorite Target in Jacksonville?
Three receivers were taken in the 2024 NFL Draft before the Jacksonville Jaguars made former LSU pass catcher Brian Thomas Jr. went to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 23rd overall pick in April’s draft.
The question is how many of the receivers taken in the top nine picks are in a better situation than Thomas going into the 2024 season? That is one of the issues that could impact the 2024 Brian Thomas Jr. odds.
Thomas has been drawing rave reviews during drills with the Jaguars and he could make an immediate impact, especially with Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence showing up in the NFL MVP odds.
The Jaguars face the two-time defending Kansas City Chiefs in their preseason opener on Aug. 10. A week later comes another preseason matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers followed by the preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons.
Jacksonville is listed by the NFL picks as a 3.5-point underdog in the regular-season opener on the road against the Miami Dolphins.
Opportunity Knocks for LSU Rookie
It would be quite the understatement to suggest that former LSU receivers have fared well in the NFL with Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase two of the top receivers in the NFL.
Second-year pro Trey Palmer could see an uptick in production with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while it remains to be seen if Terrace Marshall can make a bigger impact than he has in his first three NFL seasons.
Malik Nabers and Thomas were both first-round picks and among Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates.
When looking at the 2024 Brian Thomas Jr. odds, Thomas could help fill the void left by the departure of Calvin Ridley.
It should benefit Thomas that he will be catching passes from Lawrence while the erratic Daniel Jones is likely to be the player throwing the ball to Nabers during the 2024 season.
Ridley led Jacksonville with 76 catches and 1016 receiving yards in his lone season with the Jaguars.
Ridley is now a member of the Tennessee Titans.
Christian Kirk is a proven NFL receiver who had 1018 receiving yards with Jacksonville in 2022. He might have topped 1000 yards again in 2012 had he not missed five NFL games.
Gabe Davis comes over from the Buffalo Bills to offer a deep threat. After that, there are more questions than answers among the other wide receivers.
Thomas Trending In Right Direction
The first career touchdown catch for Thomas at LSU came in a loss to perennial SEC title contender Alabama. He had a season-high five catches against Auburn.
As a sophomore in 2022, Thomas caught a touchdown pass in a win over Purdue in the Citrus Bowl. That set the stage for a breakout 2023 season.
Thomas never had more than 65 receiving yards in a game in his first two seasons at LSU. He topped that mark nine times during the 2023 season.
Thomas finished with 68 catches for 1177 yards and 17 touchdowns as one of the top pass catchers for Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as Thomas lived up to the expectations as the No. 9 rated receiver in the national high school recruiting rankings coming out of high school.
He was one of 10 players during the 2023 college football season to average at least 17 yards per catch while having a minimum of 10 touchdown catches.
Thomas led all Football Bowl Subdivision players in touchdown catches during the 2023 season. His 11 receptions of at least 30 yards were tied for 12th nationally.
Ready to Exceed Expectations?
Thomas is priced at +2000 to be the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. His former LSU teammates Jayden Daniels (+600) and Malik Nabers (+1200) are among the nine NFL players with shorter odds to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- Thomas is tied with teammate Christian Kirk at +5000 to be the regular season leader in receiving yards.
Marvin Harrison Jr., who was the first receiver chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft, also is the rookie with the best NFL odds of +2500 to leave the NFL in receiving yards.
Remember this when considering the NFL picks and parlays once the 2024 season gets underway.
Harrison (+175) and Nabers (+550), who was drafted by the receiver-needy New York Giants, have the best odds to top the rookie receivers in yards during the 2024 regular season.
Thomas comes in sixth at +1000 to finish with more receiving yards than any of the 2024 rookies.
- Thomas has -110 odds to finish either over or under 750.5 receiving yards. He has even odds to go over 4.5 receiving touchdowns.
Jaguars Eyeing Return to Postseason
Jacksonville was looking pretty good to make the NFL playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1999.
The Jaguars were 8-3 and challenging for the AFC South Division title. Jacksonville would lose four of its final five games to miss the playoffs by one game.
- Jacksonville has +120 odds to make the playoffs compared to -150 odds to be out of the postseason for the 15th time in the last 17 seasons.
The Jaguars are currently at +270 to win the AFC South Division title. Houston is the front-runner at +105 while the Indianapolis Colts can’t be discounted at +325.
- There are -125 odds for Jacksonville to top 8.5 wins in the regular season and -105 odds to finish under that total.
Jacksonville is tied for 17th at +4000 in the odds of winning the Super Bowl. With three of the first four games in the regular season against the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans so it shouldn’t take long to figure out if the Jaguars are contenders or pretenders in the AFC.
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