2024 NFL Draft: 3 Observations on Jaguars Selecting Brian Thomas Jr.

What do we make of the Jaguars taking Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 23 overall.

Jan 1, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (11) runs with the ball / Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars got their guy.

After seeing most of the draft's top defensive prospects sitting at No. 17, the Jaguars opted to move down to No. 23 and take LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

So, what do we make of the Jaguars' latest first-round pick? We break it down below.

Jaguars had the right process in the first round, regardless of the selection

Frankly, the Jaguars could have taken almost anyone at No. 23 overall and it still would have been somewhat of a win considering their process. Fans typically don't get excited about trade downs, but the Jaguars now have likely four top-100 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft thanks to their trade down. And they can use any of their extra three picks to either move up the board over the next two days or make a move to trade for a veteran. Add in the fact that Thomas would have likely been the pick at No. 17, and it is hard to make an argument against the Jaguars' process.

Yes, there is an argument to make for the Jaguars passing up on the top cornerback at No. 17. But the fact they took Thomas over every non-Quinyon Mitchell suggests that the Jaguars like the depth of this cornerback class. Three cornerbacks going in the top-30 suggests they could have a reasonable chance to land a starting cornerback at No. 48. This may not be the cleanest pick in terms of needs, but the process made sense and Trent Baalke read the board well.

Is the long ball coming back to Jacksonville?

There are certainly critiques to make with Thomas' game. He wasn't asked to run a full route tree at LSU and his play strength will certainly need to improve, especially against NFL cornerbacks who will press him more frequently than he ever was at LSU. But peeling back some of those layers, there are reasons for this pick to excite people, too.

For one, Thomas is a true, real deal, bonafide deep threat. It is what he specializes in with his blend of speed, size and length. He can be a legitimate game-changer in terms of vertical prescence from Day One, which is something the Jaguars have far too frequently lacked during Trevor Lawrence's career. The best deep threat Lawrence has ever played with is Calvin Ridley, and even he isn't a true deep threat by definition. But Thomas is.

Thomas was one of the nation's top deep threats during his time at LSU and he meshes well with Lawrence's skill set. The deep ball could finally be back in Jacksonville -- and that is a good thing.

What does this mean for Zay Jones?

The most fascinating aspect of this selection might be what it means for wide receiver Zay Jones. Jones, who is entering the last year of his deal, was considered on thin ice earlier in the offseason when the Jaguars thought they were keeping Calvin Ridley. Now that the Jaguars have added another receiver to pair with Gabe Davis and Christian Kirk -- who are clearly in the long-term plans more so than Jones -- and it is fair to wonder what the receiver room will look like in Week 1.

Considering what the Jaguars said about Thomas in their post-draft presser, where they noted how his speed will open things up for the rest of the offense, it is hard to see Thomas sitting on the bench very much. He needs to be brought along, obviously, but it doesn't make much sense to slow-play his development behind a wide receiver who isn't a factor past 2024.