Finally, the Jaguars got their receiver, and he sure is a different kind of receiver than those to which Jaguars fans had become accustomed.
With the selection of Mike Thomas in the fourth round, gone are the days of the tall, lumbering wide receiver. Say hello to short and speedy.
"Guys who really weren't fast," Jaguars Director of Player Personnel Terry McDonough said of Matt Jones and Reggie Williams, tall receivers who were the Jaguars' first-round picks in 2004 and '05. "You didn't see speed in Matt. You'll see speed in this guy," McDonough said.
Thomas is the all-time leading receiver in PAC-10 history. He's a legit punt-return threat and he'll bring an energy and liveliness of personality the Jaguars' wide receiver corps has also lacked in recent years.
"He's short but muscular. He's a bubbly personality. He ran a 4.29 at Indy (scouting combine)," McDonough said. "He's a heckuva kid. He's a playmaker. He'll physically remind you of Steve Smith."
Thomas directly addresses a desperate need at wide receiver for speed and run-after-the-catch ability. Thomas is a big-play guy for a team that didn't get a big play from its receiving corps last season until Dennis Northcutt replaced Jones in the starting lineup for the final three games.
"It'll be a little different than what you've seen around here," McDonough said.
Thomas offers the speed, elusiveness and productivity of a first-round pick. The only thing he's lacking is size.
"When you're short like that, you get pushed down the board. He's kind of like a running back with the ball in his hands," McDonough said. "This kid is very cocky in a good way."
