The Jacksonville Jaguars signed rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr., the 23rd overall pick in the NFL draft, on Friday.
Thomas was expected to sign a four-year contract worth $14.6 million under the NFL’s rookie slotting system. The contract includes a signing bonus of around $7.5 million, as well as a club option for the fifth year.
Jacksonville traded down six spots before selecting the former LSU star to help build around franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars signed the 6-foot-3, 209-pound speedster to compensate for the loss of Calvin Ridley to division foe Tennessee in free agency and give the Jaguars a chance to have a real No. 1 receiver for the first time since Jimmy Smith retired after the 2005 season.
Last season, Thomas led the Bowl Subdivision with 17 receiving touchdowns. He finished with 68 receptions for 1,177 yards, averaging 17.3 yards per grab and 34.9 yards on his 17 touchdowns.
“Brian is everything we expected. “He is long, fast, and smart,” Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor stated last week. “So those things showed up early on. The intellect, rapid twitch, and lengthy speed are evident throughout our sessions as we move through things or even routes in the air.
“He’s an intellectual guy who is simple to speak with. Football comes easy to him. Learning, visualizing topics, comprehending pathways, and how we target specific coverages. It’s exciting to observe his development every day.”
