By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LonnPhillips
Approaching his third season as a Tiger, Brian Thomas Jr continues his push to become the must-see-TV receiving dynamo we've been expecting all along.
Despite 7 touchdowns making better reading, we've really only seen flashes or glimmers from Thomas Jr, mostly due to a lack of overall targets.
Still, LSU's athletically gifted "aerial touchdown ambassador" conjured up moments of pulsating power, steadily growing in stature, strength & status each season as he maximized the few opportunities his way....scoring a touchdown every 6th reception last .
Amid that kind of production, BTJ is looking to answer his 5 touchdowns in 2022 with a far more involved role this time around within Mike Denbrock's offense.
Receiving just 48 targets & 31 catches as a sophomore (3 more catches than his freshman year), LSU's offensive setups under Jake Peetz or Mike Denbrock have yet to generate the best from the former Walker High 5 star.
Put this in perspective:
2022 freshman tight end Mason Taylor reeled in 38 passes from 55 targets last year over 14 games; Brian only has 21 more receptions than Taylor (59) despite appearing in 25 total outings.
And somehow, he's remained productive throughout, gutting out tough catches from errant or inaccurate passes, roasting defenders after the grab (thanks to his time withering speed & propellant vision), showcasing oxen strength alongside unexpected toughness (scoring vs Purdue less than a month after a nasty collar bone injury vs Georgia).
A constant matchup migraine, scoring against Alabama, Florida and Purdue (among others) thus far in his LSU career, Thomas Jr is a towering, contested catch merchant....an aerial assassin who needs to be fed up top.
Receiving rare 50/50 or red zone targets during 2022 (average depth of target at 9.9 yards, ranking 5th), Thomas registered just a season high of 5 receptions (twice), 9 appearances catching 2 passes or less, as well as 10 games totaling under 40 receiving yards; Thomas also hauled in 5 contested catches out of a low rate of 10 contested targets.
This lack of talent-specific routes or consistently accurate QB play failed to maximize the former Walker High 4 star.
There's a reason BTJ was one of the most hotly pursued wide outs of the entire 2021 class: he will beat most DBs off the line or up in the sky. You have to give him a chance to get in a rhythm & make plays deep down the field rather than fetching, for example, 4 total targets in an entire game, equaling just 1 or 2 catches for very limited yardage or big play opportunity.
As these obstacles crept into BTJ's path, he's continued to cut a dependable & reliable figure for WRs Coach Cortez Hankton and QBs Jayden Daniels / Garrett Nussmeier; With or without the ball & even while on the fringes of Denbrock's offense, the Louisiana native performed well....only letting himself down on 3 dropped passes (Boutte led with 7, Lacy, Nabers and Taylor tied at 4).
As his 7 career Tiger touchdowns attests amid limited opportunities, Brian Thomas Jr understands how to finish under the bright lights....and in 2023, he should receive more chances than ever before.
But right now, on the cusp of a title-contending campaign, amid a deep receiving room, in his final year before he becomes NFL Draft eligible, it's time for Brian's ultimate promise to transform into omnipotent savagery, with his skills, frame, and underrated strength creating one vulgar display of wide receiving power after another against the best DBs in college football.
He's capable....
We've seen it before....
Now, we just want an entire season, wire to wire, of the best Brian Thomas Jr can muster.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LonnPhillips
©️ 2023 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
All we need to do is unleash the beast. This guy can do it all.