September 20, 2024 • 15 mins
On this episode of the O-Zone Podcast, Senior Writer John Oehser welcomes none other than the Jaguars' first-round pick WR Brian Thomas Jr.. He opens up about wide receivers that inspired him growing up like Julio Jones, what it means to be in the NFL for him and his hometown and what he's gained from the veteran-heavy receiver room of the Jaguars.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, welcome into this week's ozone podcast. I'm here
with the guests that I know everybody's gonna be excited about. Uh,
Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Junior. First of all,
thanks for doing this, Brian, thank you for having me.
And let me ask you this. If people come up
to you, do you want to be called Brian BTJ
bt BTJ seven?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
What is bt bt J Brian? Am matter? That's all
good with me. I don't I don't have like a
specific thing.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You having fun with this? I mean I know Owen too,
but it's just in the big picture.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I think people from the outside look and say, man,
this guy, you know, uh what a life he must
be living.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Uh sort of coming into his own in the NFL.
Is it fun?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah? For sure. Uh. This is what you dream of
as a little kid. That's what I always been dreaming
of of being an NFL player. So yeah, it's fun
for me, whether O and two or two and other.
I mean I treat everything the same.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I just want to keep going out there each and
every game and giving him O alleuh and just going
out there playing hard, playing for my teammates.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Got you now because you were quiet. A lot of
people in training camp. I kept on asking teammates, I
described this guy. I'll get to that in a minute,
But how would you describe yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I would sound pretty cool. Once you get to know me,
I opened up more on you. Once I get to
know people. Talking to people, I mean, like I say,
I mean, some people say quiet, but I feel like
once I get to know people, I open up a
lot more so, talking a lot more. My friends might
tell you, all right, I'll never be quiet, really really chill,
(01:34):
really chill, dude. I like to be at home, play
video game, chill out, be with my family friends. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I remember my first job. I'm twenty one. I didn't
say anything for the first year, So I assume there's
a little bit of that too, Right. You come in
and you're respecting people. This isn't your world yet, so
maybe some of it's part of that.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right, yeah's just coming in, just getting to know how
to just learn the ropes of things, just getting used
to used to being here in the building, being around
new people. Uh, just learning how everybody, uh, how everybody
does things, how everybody goes about things, and just trying
to fiell In off that.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Now, quiet does not necessarily mean lacking confidence. It seems
in retrospect you always sort of knew that you belonged here.
Am I reading that right? And when did you really
sort of know?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I would say, I really swore or.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Maybe it's still going on.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, probably, like M don't, I don't know if that
was ever like a specific point. I just always had
that confidence in my head like this is where I
this is where I should be, and this is where
I want to be. So I don't. I don't think
I can say it was ever like a specific point
in time where it was.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Just like that gotcha? Now, interesting right before we started,
UH said you didn't play football as a freshman, so football.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Kind of grew on you? When Uh, actually, I'm sorry.
I played football all my life. I started playing football
when I was five going on six. I played all
the way up until my freshman year. And uh, yeah,
then I didn't play my freshman year. I wanted to
get stronger before just jumping jumping the varsity and just
going out there. So uh, I got on the waits
(03:16):
before my fresh my freshman year and I ended up
playing basketball too. Yeah, and uh, I started back to
my sophomore year.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Now, I'm assuming when you're six, you probably don't have
a QB who can get you the ball. So always
a receiver or when did that kind of start?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Uh? Love league? I was always played running back and
uh I played running back and linebacker, and middle school
it's a linebacker. Yeah. Middle school I played running back.
My eighth grade year is when I started playing like
a little receiver. Uh, little receiver and running back, and
then when I got to high school, it was strictly
a wide receiver.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
I got you. Yeah, Now, when did you sort of
know okay, wide you know, because wide receiver these days
different than I was growing up.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, you know it.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
It's sort of a diva position, rock star position. When
did you sort of feel like, Okay, my future might
be at this spot. I fit this, I can do this.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Uh. I really felt like it was like towards the
end of my middle school okay, because I was I
was always kind of kind of tall, and I was like,
I don't want to play running back if I'm gonna
be like super tall or whatever. So I mean, I
always love being a receiver. I always liked receivers just
growing up That's all I used to watch is receivers.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
So, I mean everyone growing up.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
While you're on the subject, favorite one growing up, Julio Jones, Okay, yeah,
that's kind of why I wore number eleven two in
high school. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Got you. Now, you're I think it's safe to say,
maybe not, but you're a different guy on the field
than maybe you are walking around the locker room. Yeah,
by design? Or is there just something I'm assuming just
competitive nature When you're on the field, it's a different world, right.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah. I wouldn't say it's by design. It's just competing.
It's just, uh, just my competitive nature when I'm going
out there, I'm going up against the other team, it's
just that, uh, that fire burning inside of me, just
wanting to dominate each and every play and just just
going out there competing at the highest level. It just
comes out, and is it?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Uh, you know everybody's talked about you know, you had
some words with Jailing Who people around here? Uh? Has
anybody outside when they see you mentioned that? Is that
something people talk to you about and just sort of
take me through that? Uh, I'm assuming that was just
a sort of a reaction.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, I mean everybody's just always asking me what I
say to him. I had a couple of people outside
of asked me what I say to him or what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
It was on field stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, it's just competing. It wasn't nothing crazy. Were just
out there competing. Was able to make a play and
I just said a little something. Uh but it wasn't crazy.
It was just out there competing, Uh players.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah right, yeah, you you have it in watching you.
I didn't watch everything at LSU, but here you have
a style that makes it look like what you're doing
is easy. The way you play, the way you run.
Does that sometimes make people misread you meaning, uh, well
(06:18):
it's easy, so he's not working hard. Ever, had any
I mean not asking it very well, But that caused
people to not think you're working hard or not think
you're playing hard.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Growing up, it did people like like I always say
I'm not running full speed because it doesn't look like
I'm running full speed, but I'm like separating from people.
But I mean, that's just that's just how I run.
I can't change that. Uh, It's just I mean it
just looks like that. But I've always been a hard worker.
I've always put in extra, a lot of extra work
and just do a lot of the little things just
(06:52):
to h to get better each and every day. So
I mean it has when I was when I was younger. Yeah,
it has when I was younger for sure, even high
school and a little bit in college. But just me
paying attention to that, hearing that, just trying to go
out there and give it even more, just make it,
just give it even more, just like cut that out
(07:15):
of the equation.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
I got you. Yeah, So the draft comes around. There
were analysts that said, hey, this guy, this guy can
be a one, And there were three receivers that every
went higher than you, but they said that outside of
that group, you were the guy at the chance to
be a one. Did being drafted fourth bother you? Does
(07:37):
that motivate you?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Is that a thing at all? Or what's the mindset
with that?
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I wouldn't say it bothered me, guys. I mean I
got drafted to a great place in Jacksonville, happy to
be here, but I definitely wouldn't say it bothered me.
It motivated me a lot, for sure, just seeing three
others get drafted before me, it motivated me a lot more.
If I if I when I know, I felt like
I'm the best out of the hole. Yeah, So, I
(08:02):
mean it definitely motivated me, for sure. I wouldn't say
it bothered me, though.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Is there a how much pride do you take or
how much do you identify with being an LSU wide receiver? Yeah,
it seems like that has become a thing Miami linebackers
used to have. There's always groups of schools. The LSU
wide receiver right now is about as I guess prestigious
as it gets. Is that a thing for you? Do
you carry that with pride?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Uh? Yeah, uh for sure I do. Uh just knowing
the history of l s U wide receiver and knowing
the background up it. Uh, you guys can come have
a little pride about that. Just always want to be
wide receiver? You So we just go out there and
give it all all, do what we do, what we
know we can do.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Who's the best of the bunch? Not a fair question.
Was there a wide receiver growing up Julio that you
patterned yourself after? Was it him? Or was that even
possible because you got to play your own game.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah? I wouldn't say no wide receiver patting myself after.
But I mean I would take a lot of things
from like Julio, uh, Davonte Adams. Uh, those are my
main two for sure. Uh yeah, and uh everybody used
to watch the Little College Tavon Austin highlight.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Okay, he played here a couple of years ago. Yeah,
And what was amazing about Tavon Uh in his last year.
There were so many guys who were going up to
before the game saying, hey, you were my guy.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
It's really quite a striking thing. And the way he
played impacted people.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
I used to watch that before, like all my little
league games, most of my middle school games. It was
just it was just I love that video.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I think from talking to you, you expected to be here, Yeah,
you expect to play in the NFL, and you, I know,
for a couple of years this was, you know, going
to happen. Is it still wild? Do you think that
it's actually happened?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Yeah, it is. I still be Like I was talking
to my mom the other day and I was we
were just sitting up in there, like I really got
drafted in the first round, just even just got drafted. Uh,
We're just sitting up there talking about that, how crazy
that was, and just being from where I'm from. It's
not not too many or any people who haven't done that, so, uh,
(10:28):
it's just it's still kind of wild to me.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
And how do you turn it in. There's a point
where that's true, yeah, but then there's a point where Okay,
I'm here, yeah, and now I go take advantage of it.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So it's a balance, right, just even talking about that,
just trying to use that as motivation. Uh, I'm not
one of the only ones that ever done it. So
I want to set the uh, set the tone for
the younger kids, and just motivate them to just like
show them like, this is something that you can do,
even coming from someplace like a small town like Walker
I did. So I feel like this is something that
(11:02):
even the younger kids can do too, as long as
they put their mind to it and stay motivated.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Sorry about that. Obviously, to be a great receiver in
this league so much more than skills, so much more
than talent. What is your process right now of trying
to learn how to play the position, trying to learn
the techniques? Is that your obsession right now? Is that
what you're focused on?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Yeah, it has to be. I feel like this in
the NFL everything is just bumped up a notch, and
I feel like it's more mental than anything. Just knowing
what to do so you can go out there and
play fast. Just knowing your technique so you can go
out there and do it fast. I feel like the
mental aspect of aspect of it is everything right now
for sure. So just trying to get all the mental
things down just so I can go out there and
(11:47):
just react and play fast.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Is that fun for you? Do you enjoy that part
of the process, stef? I guess figuring out what you
have to do to win consistently in this meaning win
it's your position consistently.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, I mean you got to enjoy every part of it.
It's just a process, so you got you gotta enjoy it.
Just enjoy the processes if that's what If you want
to become great, you gotta just go through the process.
Enjoy it while you go through it.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Tell me about your wide receiver room. How much is it?
You know you've got veterans in there like Christian Kirk
who know how to work high level of professional is it?
How much has that helped Brian Thomas.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Uh, It's helped me out a lot, just seeing how
they practice. Uh, seeing how they go about their day,
seeing how they go about things, whether it's in here
outside of here. Uh, it's helped me out a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
I would say they've been a great help to me
since I got here, Like I was saying, just mentally,
they've helped me a lot, just like knowing what to do,
just talking talking to them about how they run certain
routes with certain coverages and how they see certain things. Yeah,
so they've been a major help for me.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I got you last thing we do Uh we call
it the ozone five. It's five quick fun questions. Brian
Tom what was your last binge watch?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Uh? I'm actually doing it right now. Prison Break, prison
Break on Netflix.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Good.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Yeah, it's pretty good. I'm season It's like guilty pleasure stuff.
I just started season two.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Okay, got you the last song you heard on the
way in this morning?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
It was the last song I think it was? What
was it? It was n being young Boy and rubbles
kick It got h.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Well, I was going to ask you the best LSU receiver,
but you're not going to answer that one. So, best
receiver that you've ever seen, the guy you most admired,
because that's Julia best.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Uh, I gotta go Julio. Okay, Yeah, best that I've
ever seen Julia, Julio or Davante adams A gotcha. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
When Julio was on, he was unstoppable. How good could
you have been at basketball had you stuck with it?
Because everybody in that locker room thinks they're great.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, I would have been pretty good for sure. I
mean I was already kind of good. I feel like
I'm still kind of good. I still got it a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Best basketball memory.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Winning state championship my freshman year of high school and
getting the MVP.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Gotcha.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Yeah, it's pretty good.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Person or people most important to you being here?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You said, person or people most important for.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
People who you? Without them, you wouldn't be here.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Oh my parents for sure, got you? Uh yeah, my parents,
no doubt. Just knowing everything, seeing everything they sacrificed for
me to be and this point, in this position in
my life. I gotta say my parents for sure.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Brian Thomas, j And you have a bright career ahead
of you. I appreciate you joining the Ozone podcast this
week in a busy week.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I look forward to.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Working with you down the road.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yes, I appreciation thanks Buddy,
All right, welcome into this week's ozone podcast. I'm here
with the guests that I know everybody's gonna be excited about. Uh,
Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Junior. First of all,
thanks for doing this, Brian, thank you for having me.
And let me ask you this. If people come up
to you, do you want to be called Brian BTJ
bt BTJ seven?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
What is bt bt J Brian? Am matter? That's all
good with me. I don't I don't have like a
specific thing.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You having fun with this? I mean I know Owen too,
but it's just in the big picture.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I think people from the outside look and say, man,
this guy, you know, uh what a life he must
be living.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Uh sort of coming into his own in the NFL.
Is it fun?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah? For sure. Uh. This is what you dream of
as a little kid. That's what I always been dreaming
of of being an NFL player. So yeah, it's fun
for me, whether O and two or two and other.
I mean I treat everything the same.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I just want to keep going out there each and
every game and giving him O alleuh and just going
out there playing hard, playing for my teammates.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Got you now because you were quiet. A lot of
people in training camp. I kept on asking teammates, I
described this guy. I'll get to that in a minute,
But how would you describe yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I would sound pretty cool. Once you get to know me,
I opened up more on you. Once I get to
know people. Talking to people, I mean, like I say,
I mean, some people say quiet, but I feel like
once I get to know people, I open up a
lot more so, talking a lot more. My friends might
tell you, all right, I'll never be quiet, really really chill,
(01:34):
really chill, dude. I like to be at home, play
video game, chill out, be with my family friends. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I remember my first job. I'm twenty one. I didn't
say anything for the first year, So I assume there's
a little bit of that too, Right. You come in
and you're respecting people. This isn't your world yet, so
maybe some of it's part of that.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right, yeah's just coming in, just getting to know how
to just learn the ropes of things, just getting used
to used to being here in the building, being around
new people. Uh, just learning how everybody, uh, how everybody
does things, how everybody goes about things, and just trying
to fiell In off that.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Now, quiet does not necessarily mean lacking confidence. It seems
in retrospect you always sort of knew that you belonged here.
Am I reading that right? And when did you really
sort of know?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I would say, I really swore or.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Maybe it's still going on.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, probably, like M don't, I don't know if that
was ever like a specific point. I just always had
that confidence in my head like this is where I
this is where I should be, and this is where
I want to be. So I don't. I don't think
I can say it was ever like a specific point
in time where it was.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Just like that gotcha? Now, interesting right before we started,
UH said you didn't play football as a freshman, so football.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Kind of grew on you? When Uh, actually, I'm sorry.
I played football all my life. I started playing football
when I was five going on six. I played all
the way up until my freshman year. And uh, yeah,
then I didn't play my freshman year. I wanted to
get stronger before just jumping jumping the varsity and just
going out there. So uh, I got on the waits
(03:16):
before my fresh my freshman year and I ended up
playing basketball too. Yeah, and uh, I started back to
my sophomore year.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Now, I'm assuming when you're six, you probably don't have
a QB who can get you the ball. So always
a receiver or when did that kind of start?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Uh? Love league? I was always played running back and
uh I played running back and linebacker, and middle school
it's a linebacker. Yeah. Middle school I played running back.
My eighth grade year is when I started playing like
a little receiver. Uh, little receiver and running back, and
then when I got to high school, it was strictly
a wide receiver.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
I got you. Yeah, Now, when did you sort of
know okay, wide you know, because wide receiver these days
different than I was growing up.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, you know it.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
It's sort of a diva position, rock star position. When
did you sort of feel like, Okay, my future might
be at this spot. I fit this, I can do this.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Uh. I really felt like it was like towards the
end of my middle school okay, because I was I
was always kind of kind of tall, and I was like,
I don't want to play running back if I'm gonna
be like super tall or whatever. So I mean, I
always love being a receiver. I always liked receivers just
growing up That's all I used to watch is receivers.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
So, I mean everyone growing up.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
While you're on the subject, favorite one growing up, Julio Jones, Okay, yeah,
that's kind of why I wore number eleven two in
high school. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Got you. Now, you're I think it's safe to say,
maybe not, but you're a different guy on the field
than maybe you are walking around the locker room. Yeah,
by design? Or is there just something I'm assuming just
competitive nature When you're on the field, it's a different world, right.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah. I wouldn't say it's by design. It's just competing.
It's just, uh, just my competitive nature when I'm going
out there, I'm going up against the other team, it's
just that, uh, that fire burning inside of me, just
wanting to dominate each and every play and just just
going out there competing at the highest level. It just
comes out, and is it?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Uh, you know everybody's talked about you know, you had
some words with Jailing Who people around here? Uh? Has
anybody outside when they see you mentioned that? Is that
something people talk to you about and just sort of
take me through that? Uh, I'm assuming that was just
a sort of a reaction.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, I mean everybody's just always asking me what I
say to him. I had a couple of people outside
of asked me what I say to him or what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
It was on field stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, it's just competing. It wasn't nothing crazy. Were just
out there competing. Was able to make a play and
I just said a little something. Uh but it wasn't crazy.
It was just out there competing, Uh players.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah right, yeah, you you have it in watching you.
I didn't watch everything at LSU, but here you have
a style that makes it look like what you're doing
is easy. The way you play, the way you run.
Does that sometimes make people misread you meaning, uh, well
(06:18):
it's easy, so he's not working hard. Ever, had any
I mean not asking it very well, But that caused
people to not think you're working hard or not think
you're playing hard.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Growing up, it did people like like I always say
I'm not running full speed because it doesn't look like
I'm running full speed, but I'm like separating from people.
But I mean, that's just that's just how I run.
I can't change that. Uh, It's just I mean it
just looks like that. But I've always been a hard worker.
I've always put in extra, a lot of extra work
and just do a lot of the little things just
(06:52):
to h to get better each and every day. So
I mean it has when I was when I was younger. Yeah,
it has when I was younger for sure, even high
school and a little bit in college. But just me
paying attention to that, hearing that, just trying to go
out there and give it even more, just make it,
just give it even more, just like cut that out
(07:15):
of the equation.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
I got you. Yeah, So the draft comes around. There
were analysts that said, hey, this guy, this guy can
be a one, And there were three receivers that every
went higher than you, but they said that outside of
that group, you were the guy at the chance to
be a one. Did being drafted fourth bother you? Does
(07:37):
that motivate you?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Is that a thing at all? Or what's the mindset
with that?
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I wouldn't say it bothered me, guys. I mean I
got drafted to a great place in Jacksonville, happy to
be here, but I definitely wouldn't say it bothered me.
It motivated me a lot, for sure, just seeing three
others get drafted before me, it motivated me a lot more.
If I if I when I know, I felt like
I'm the best out of the hole. Yeah, So, I
(08:02):
mean it definitely motivated me, for sure. I wouldn't say
it bothered me, though.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Is there a how much pride do you take or
how much do you identify with being an LSU wide receiver? Yeah,
it seems like that has become a thing Miami linebackers
used to have. There's always groups of schools. The LSU
wide receiver right now is about as I guess prestigious
as it gets. Is that a thing for you? Do
you carry that with pride?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Uh? Yeah, uh for sure I do. Uh just knowing
the history of l s U wide receiver and knowing
the background up it. Uh, you guys can come have
a little pride about that. Just always want to be
wide receiver? You So we just go out there and
give it all all, do what we do, what we
know we can do.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Who's the best of the bunch? Not a fair question.
Was there a wide receiver growing up Julio that you
patterned yourself after? Was it him? Or was that even
possible because you got to play your own game.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah? I wouldn't say no wide receiver patting myself after.
But I mean I would take a lot of things
from like Julio, uh, Davonte Adams. Uh, those are my
main two for sure. Uh yeah, and uh everybody used
to watch the Little College Tavon Austin highlight.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Okay, he played here a couple of years ago. Yeah,
And what was amazing about Tavon Uh in his last year.
There were so many guys who were going up to
before the game saying, hey, you were my guy.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
It's really quite a striking thing. And the way he
played impacted people.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
I used to watch that before, like all my little
league games, most of my middle school games. It was
just it was just I love that video.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I think from talking to you, you expected to be here, Yeah,
you expect to play in the NFL, and you, I know,
for a couple of years this was, you know, going
to happen. Is it still wild? Do you think that
it's actually happened?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Yeah, it is. I still be Like I was talking
to my mom the other day and I was we
were just sitting up in there, like I really got
drafted in the first round, just even just got drafted. Uh,
We're just sitting up there talking about that, how crazy
that was, and just being from where I'm from. It's
not not too many or any people who haven't done that, so, uh,
(10:28):
it's just it's still kind of wild to me.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
And how do you turn it in. There's a point
where that's true, yeah, but then there's a point where Okay,
I'm here, yeah, and now I go take advantage of it.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So it's a balance, right, just even talking about that,
just trying to use that as motivation. Uh, I'm not
one of the only ones that ever done it. So
I want to set the uh, set the tone for
the younger kids, and just motivate them to just like
show them like, this is something that you can do,
even coming from someplace like a small town like Walker
I did. So I feel like this is something that
(11:02):
even the younger kids can do too, as long as
they put their mind to it and stay motivated.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Sorry about that. Obviously, to be a great receiver in
this league so much more than skills, so much more
than talent. What is your process right now of trying
to learn how to play the position, trying to learn
the techniques? Is that your obsession right now? Is that
what you're focused on?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Yeah, it has to be. I feel like this in
the NFL everything is just bumped up a notch, and
I feel like it's more mental than anything. Just knowing
what to do so you can go out there and
play fast. Just knowing your technique so you can go
out there and do it fast. I feel like the
mental aspect of aspect of it is everything right now
for sure. So just trying to get all the mental
things down just so I can go out there and
(11:47):
just react and play fast.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Is that fun for you? Do you enjoy that part
of the process, stef? I guess figuring out what you
have to do to win consistently in this meaning win
it's your position consistently.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, I mean you got to enjoy every part of it.
It's just a process, so you got you gotta enjoy it.
Just enjoy the processes if that's what If you want
to become great, you gotta just go through the process.
Enjoy it while you go through it.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Tell me about your wide receiver room. How much is it?
You know you've got veterans in there like Christian Kirk
who know how to work high level of professional is it?
How much has that helped Brian Thomas.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Uh, It's helped me out a lot, just seeing how
they practice. Uh, seeing how they go about their day,
seeing how they go about things, whether it's in here
outside of here. Uh, it's helped me out a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
I would say they've been a great help to me
since I got here, Like I was saying, just mentally,
they've helped me a lot, just like knowing what to do,
just talking talking to them about how they run certain
routes with certain coverages and how they see certain things. Yeah,
so they've been a major help for me.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I got you last thing we do Uh we call
it the ozone five. It's five quick fun questions. Brian
Tom what was your last binge watch?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Uh? I'm actually doing it right now. Prison Break, prison
Break on Netflix.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Good.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Yeah, it's pretty good. I'm season It's like guilty pleasure stuff.
I just started season two.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Okay, got you the last song you heard on the
way in this morning?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
It was the last song I think it was? What
was it? It was n being young Boy and rubbles
kick It got h.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Well, I was going to ask you the best LSU receiver,
but you're not going to answer that one. So, best
receiver that you've ever seen, the guy you most admired,
because that's Julia best.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Uh, I gotta go Julio. Okay, Yeah, best that I've
ever seen Julia, Julio or Davante adams A gotcha. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
When Julio was on, he was unstoppable. How good could
you have been at basketball had you stuck with it?
Because everybody in that locker room thinks they're great.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, I would have been pretty good for sure. I
mean I was already kind of good. I feel like
I'm still kind of good. I still got it a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Best basketball memory.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Winning state championship my freshman year of high school and
getting the MVP.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Gotcha.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Yeah, it's pretty good.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Person or people most important to you being here?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You said, person or people most important for.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
People who you? Without them, you wouldn't be here.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Oh my parents for sure, got you? Uh yeah, my parents,
no doubt. Just knowing everything, seeing everything they sacrificed for
me to be and this point, in this position in
my life. I gotta say my parents for sure.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Brian Thomas, j And you have a bright career ahead
of you. I appreciate you joining the Ozone podcast this
week in a busy week.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I look forward to.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Working with you down the road.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yes, I appreciation thanks Buddy,
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