Rookie Spotlight: Jamari Thrash, WR Louisville

Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
Hands: 8 3/4″
Arm: 31″
40 yard dash: 4.55 (projected)
2024 Age: 23 (12/19/2000)
NFL Comparison: Dante Pettis, Romeo Doubs
Breakout Age: 22

Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)

Receptions: 24%
Receiving Yards: 26%
Receiving TDs: 27%
Total Production Percentage: 26%

As a high school prospect: 3-star; Class of 2019

Pros

– One of the key offensive pieces to help make Jeff Brohm’s start at UL so successful
– All-America and All-Sun Belt record-breaker at Georgia State
– Profiles as a chain-moving outside possession receiver
– Savvy player with a knack for getting open
– Twitchy out of cuts with good stem-work and ability to switch gears
– Good catch-radius
– Has shown the ability to create after-catch; good play-strength

Cons

– Too many drops in 2023
– Lack of high-end play speed; will likely not test explosively
– Doesn’t present a prototypical size/speed profile that you’d like to see from outside weapons
– Late breakout age even given lower level of competition at Georgia State

Fantasy Outlook: Thrash played over 90% of his snaps out wide in his final college season, but still registered catches for 41 first downs in 2023, which was tied for 37th among 453 college football qualifiers, and looks to be a workman-like chain-mover on the boundary. His 11.3% drop rate in 2023 per PFF makes you worry a small bit about his ability to transition into being a similarly dependable and reliable option in this aspect at the next level, but it’s hard to discount his ability to sink his hips and uncover to provide an easy target for the quarterback within the context of his college offense. He was a major part of the engine at Louisville in 2023 that exhibited unexpected traits (predominantly core-strength and toughness to gain extra yards) that NFL teams will certainly covet. With a good Senior Bowl week, he’s a player that could generate buzz in dynasty circles, especially if working his way into the Day 2 draft-capital discussion or by falling to an excellent team fit. From a pure talent standpoint, it feels at this point in the process like he’ll need that kind of narrative boost in the community to rise in the third-round discussion of traditional rookie drafts where he’ll be an excellent sleeper option. While he didn’t have much experience there in college, you could easily see Thrash transitioning to more of a slot WR role at the NFL level given his ability to burst out of cuts and create separation.