Patriots draft profile: Brian Thomas Jr. is a rare athlete at the wide receiver position

The LSU product is one of the top wide receiver prospects in this year’s class.

The 2024 NFL Draft is particularly deep at wide receiver. This is, of course, good news for a New England Patriots team in dire need of some upgrades on the offensive side of the ball and that position in particular.

One of the most intriguing prospects available, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. would instantly make the entire group a better one. And while adding him would likely require some draft pick gymnastics, there is no denying his talent and potential as an immediate contributor and potential difference maker right from the get-go.

Hard facts

Name: Brian Thomas Jr.

Position: Wide receiver

School: LSU

Opening day age: 21 (10/8/2002)

Measurements: 6’2 7/8”, 209 lbs, 79 5/8” wingspan, 32 3/4” arm length, 9 3/4” hand size, 4.33s 40-yard dash, 38.5” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 11 bench press reps, 9.84 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Career statistics: 38 games (27 starts) | 1,600 offensive snaps, 96 special teams snaps | 176 targets, 127 catches (72.2%), 1,897 receiving yards, 24 TDs | 3 carries, 0 rushing yards | 2 fumbles

Accolades: Second-team All-SEC (2023), Third-team All-American (2023)

Playing both football and basketball at Walker High School in his Louisiana hometown, Thomas Jr. eventually focused on the former upon moving to the college level. The four-star recruit did not move far, with LSU’s Tiger Stadium less than 20 miles from his hometown.

Thomas Jr. was a spot starter his first two collegiate seasons, combining to catch 59 passes for 720 yards and seven touchdowns in 25 games. Then, as a junior, he broke out: playing alongside fellow projected first-round picks Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers, he finished the year with 68 catches for 1,177 yards and a nation-high 17 touchdowns. He then decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to enter the draft.

Draft profile

Expected round: 1 | Consensus big board: No. 18 | Patriots meeting: Scouting Combine

Strengths: If you had to sum up Thomas Jr.’s game with one word, it would be “smooth.” Despite measuring in at almost 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds at the Combine, he is as effortless a mover on the football field as you will ever see. While not the most sudden runner, he can get up to speed quickly, cover considerable ground with his strides, and challenge defenses vertically seemingly without much of an effort.

Thomas Jr. therefore brings legitimate deep threat potential to the table. Not only did he run a 4.33-second 40-yard dash during pre-draft testing, he also looks the part on the field: his speed allows him to create separation, while he has the ball tracking skills and body control to properly adjust to passes in the air. His length additionally gives him an advantage over smaller defensive backs, and helps him come away victorious in contested and jump ball situations.

In general, Thomas Jr. offers rare athleticism. While his 11 bench press reps hurt his overall score and he did neither run the 3-cone nor the short shuttle drills, he still was able to post a 9.84 Relative Athletic Score due to his elite combination of size, speed and explosiveness. His testing also translates to the field, as his outstanding 2023 season can attest.

Weaknesses: Thomas Jr. has proven himself a good vertical player, but there currently are limits to his game especially when it comes to his route tree. As charted by analyst Matt Harmon, a majority of his routes in 2023 were either of the curl (29.3%), slant (20%), or go (17.9%) variety. He will need to expand his repertoire if he does not want to be come a one-trick pony at the next level.

He also, as noted above, is not the most sudden or quick runner. He is a long strider rather than a player winning with quickness, which in turn might make it harder for him to get open versus tight man coverage. He also has room for growth when it comes to hand usage, both during his release and throughout the entirety of the route even up to the catch point: he dropped five passes in 2023, for a rate of 6.8 percent.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Thomas Jr. is a true perimeter receiver capable of filling the X role in the Patriots’ offense. As such, he would regularly see the field from early on his career and be used to put pressure on defenses deep. While not an every-package player yet due to some of his limitations, he could become a starter-caliber player and steady contributor from early on in his career.

What is his growth potential? Even though there already is a lot to like about Thomas Jr. entering the NFL, he has plenty of room for growth. His route tree in particular has room to grow a few branches, as noted above, and as those get added he should develop into a true three-down threat at the X-receiver spot. Think of his growth potential as similar to current Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf, who also had limited routes in his toolbox but was steadily and patiently developed to become a top-tier wideout.

Does he have positional versatility? Thomas Jr. has a handful of special teams snaps on his résumé, and was asked to carry the football on a few occasions during his time at LSU. Overall, however, his versatility is limited. He is good at what he does as an outside receiver — developing those skills should be the goal rather than turning him into a multi-faceted player.

Why the Patriots? New England’s current X-receiver position is manned by the likes of Jalen Reagor and T.J. Luther, and a bunch of tweeners such as Tyquan Thornton and K.J. Osborn. Needless to say, the team has a definitive need at that particular spot in its lineup. Beyond likely top-10 picks Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze, Thomas Jr. is the best option available in the draft and could be had later in Round 1.

Why not the Patriots? From a Patriots perspective, Thomas Jr. is projected to come off the board in no-man’s land midway through the first round. He therefore might only be a realistic target in case the team trades down from No. 3 overall, or up from No. 34. As opposed to other high-profile wide receiver prospects, he simply may not be available in New England’s range.

One-sentence verdict: Thomas Jr. getting drafted with one of the Patriots’ current selections is not a realistic outlook, but he would be an attractive target in a trade scenario.

What do you think about Brian Thomas Jr. as a potential Patriots target? Would he be worth a trade in some form? Or should New England try to pick players in its current spots? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.