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