Amid Jaguars’ long season, Brian Thomas has proven to be a draft steal

There is not much to be excited about with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Head coach Doug Pederson seems certain to be fired. General manager Trent Baalke could go as well. The Jaguars are 3-11, Trevor Lawrence hasn’t looked anything like a $275 million quarterback, and the defense is in the bottom five of the league as well.

There is, however, good reason to like the present and future of rookie receiver Brian Thomas.

Three receivers were picked in the top 10 this year, but the Jaguars got Thomas with the 23rd pick out of LSU, and the 22-year-old has outperformed the rest of his rookie class. His eight touchdown catches now lead all rookies, his 956 receiving yards trail only Raiders tight end Brock Bowers among rookies, and his average of 14.9 yards per catch is the best of the 13 rookies with at least 25 catches.

The Jaguars are in that December NFL limbo where their own fans aren’t sure if they want wins against lesser opponents like the Raiders and Titans in the next two weeks, knowing each win drops their draft position. One thing they can root for is Thomas, who should make a solid showing on All-Rookie teams, competing with a solid class that includes the Giants‘ Malik Nabers, the Chargers‘ Ladd McConkey, the Cardinals‘ Marvin Harrison and others.

Thomas had two touchdown catches Sunday, and if he can manage two in the final three games, he’ll be just the eighth rookie receiver in the last 40 years to get 10 in a season. It’s a hit-or-miss group — Minnesota‘s Jordan Addison last year, Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase in 2021, and then-Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley in 2018 are the only others since Mike Evans and Odell Beckham both did so in 2014. LSU is responsible for three of the last six receivers to pull off a 10-touchdown rookie season.

Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper shines in return

This rookie class isn’t as impactful on defense, but one name commanding more praise is Packers rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who came back after missing three games with a hamstring injury in Sunday’s win against Seattle. Cooper had seven tackles, a sack and his first NFL interception, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Cooper has returned as a key contributor on a defense that ranks in the top 10 in yards and points allowed, as well as sacks and interceptions.

A second-round pick from Texas A&M, Cooper has made an impact despite only starting one game this season — he’s played more than 50% of the defensive snaps in his last five games. He’s third among all rookies with seven tackles for loss, sixth in sacks with 3.5 despite being an off-ball linebacker, and ninth in total tackles while playing a limited number of snaps.

Green Bay is 10-4 while living in the shadow of Detroit and Minnesota in their own division, but could be dangerous as a wild card. The Packers haven’t made it past the divisional round of the playoffs since 2020, but Cooper and rookie safeties Javon Bullard and Evan Williams are part of a young defense that could surprise people in the next month.

Matt Hasselbeck on whether the Packers can be trusted come postseason

Bucs‘ Bucky Irving emerges as top rookie back

For a while, it looked like this rookie class might not include a 1,000-yard running back, but the Bucs’ Bucky Irving has been a huge part of Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak and has cemented his status as this year’s top back. Irving, a fourth-round pick from Oregon, leads all rookie backs with 852 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, all while pushing through toe, hip and back injuries.

The Bucs’ offensive surge has come at the hands of a rookie play-caller in first-year offensive coordinator Liam Coen, and there are rookies making an impact all over the offense. Center Graham Barton is one of five offensive linemen to play in at least 90% of their team’s offensive snaps, and receiver Jalen McMillan has three touchdown catches in the last two weeks, stepping up as a second option behind Evans in Chris Godwin‘s absence.

Titans‘ T’Vondre Sweat has been huge

Sometimes a viral moment can help make casual NFL fans more aware of a rookie’s strong season. Titans defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat had one of the weekend’s best highlights, as the 366-pound lineman recovered a fumble and took off for a 30-yard return in Tennessee’s loss to the Bengals.

The play showed Sweat’s incredible athleticism, but he’s been making an impact all year — he’s played in 67% of Tennessee’s defensive snaps, second-highest for a rookie defensive lineman behind Rams standout Jared Verse. The second-round pick from Texas has been super-productive, with 41 tackles and four tackles for loss, and Pro Football Focus has him graded as the league’s No. 11 defensive tackle, ahead of well-known and well-paid veterans like the Raiders’ Christian Wilkins and the Bucs’ Vita Vea.

Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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