One of the first things Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said when he was hired was the offense would run through second-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
And that was before he saw him up close on the field.
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Now that he’s spent time with him on the field, he’s confirmed his original thinking.
“He’s got freakish talents. He’s got some freakish traits,” Coen said after the team concluded OTA No. 7. “Just his attention to detail in the meeting room setting, being able to answer questions, you see some of his personality come to life as well.”
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Thomas rewrote the record book for the Jaguars last season. He recorded a rookie franchise-record 87 catches, 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
All while carrying the entire workload of Jacksonville’s offense. Now, he’s preparing to play with a healthy Trevor Lawrence and rookie receiver Travis Hunter.
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Coen described how he’s seen Thomas “come to life” during OTA workouts. He said that the repetitiveness of the playscript gets boring for several players.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) and Dyami Brown (5) jog during voluntary minicamp in April, 2025.
The team is more focused on install and alignment than creating eye-catching plays. But Coen likes to throw in a few calls that aren’t on the script every now and again.
He noted how Thomas flashes his potential when the Jaguars go off script during practice. Even in unpadded practice with shorts and helmets, the first-year coach has been impressed with Thomas’ skill to do multiple things.
“The ability for a big dude like him to be able to operate in the slot,” Coen said. “Run some of the choice and option routes, but also be able to go vertical and catch the ball down the field, he’s been a real pleasure to work with so far.”
Thomas and the rest of the Jaguars will wrap up OTAs on June 5.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars Liam Coen: Brian Thomas Jr. has ‘freakish talents’