BREAKING: Transfer WR Zavion Thomas commits to LSU

Mississippi State wide receiver and return specialist Zavion Thomas entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, and he’s now committed to LSU.

Thomas, one of the nation’s top punt returners, put up 500-plus yards receiving during his sophomore season in 2023.

Now, he will head to Baton Rouge to compete for a starting spot as both a return man on special teams and wide receiver on offense.

Thomas, a New Orleans native who graduated from John Ehret, was ranked by On3 as a four-star and Top 300 prospect in the 2022 class.

How Thomas fared in Starkville

Thomas appeared in 22 games during his two seasons with Mississippi State, logging eight starts.

One year ago, Thomas – just a true freshman – ranked No. 5 in the NCAA in punt return average (13.5) with a career-long 63-yard punt return touchdown coming against Georgia. The Football Writer’s Association of America named Thomas the First-Team punt returner on the Freshman All-American Team. He picked up where he left off in the return game this season, logging his first career kickoff returned for a touchdown to begin the November matchup with Texas A&M.

The New Orleans native and former John Ehret standout ranked in the Top 5 among SEC players in average yards per punt return in both 2022 and 2023.

Thomas made an instant impact in the return game during his two seasons in Starkville, but his emergence as a wide receiver came this season.

After catching two passes for four yards in 2022, Thomas broke through 40 catches for 503 yards and a touchdown this season – an impressive mark given the Bulldogs finished No. 13 among 14 SEC teams in passing yards per game this season (181.8).

What it means for the LSU WR room (and special teams)

First and foremost, LSU has found a punt returner with proven SEC experience.

The Tigers hoped Alabama transfer Aaron Anderson would take over the role in 2023, but a fumble on his opening opportunity saw the staff turn back to walk-on wide receiver Gregory Clayton Jr.

Clayton was reliable with securing fair catches on punts, and the lack of a return game didn’t hinder LSU and the NCAA’s No. 1 offense.

With Jayden Daniels headed to the NFL Draft as a likely first-round pick, the Tigers were searching for a proven return specialist. They found that in Thomas.

In high school, Thomas finished his senior season at John Ehret with more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, including 1,025 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns, giving him back-to-back 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons. Thomas also rushed for 779 yards and six touchdowns and added three punt returns for touchdowns in his final year before signing with Mississippi State.

After returning kickoffs and punts for touchdowns in Starkville, the Tigers have likely found the spark needed on special teams.

Then, there’s the impact Thomas can bring at wide receiver.

Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. are both likely headed to the NFL Draft, while the Tigers have gone into overdrive to keep Kyren Lacy on roster in hopes that he forgoes the NFL Draft and returns for his final season of college eligibility.

If Lacy returns, the Tigers would get back a wide receiver that posted 463 yards and seven touchdowns in a season when Nabers and Thomas dominated the target share en route to both eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns.

From there, LSU only has one receiver on roster who logged more than 100 yards receiving and a touchdown in 2023. That’s Chris Hilton, who bounced back from injuries early in his career to haul in 10 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown as LSU’s No. 4 wide receiver.

Anderson also is set to return to the roster in 2024, and he finished his debut season in Baton Rouge with 12 catches for 59 yards. With Landon Ibieta battling injury, and all four true freshmen taking a redshirt, no other receiver on roster caught a pass during the 2023 season.

The addition of Thomas gives the Tigers an SEC wide receiver who caught 40 passes for 503 yards and a touchdown this season. It’s a big addition that addresses a pair of positional needs, and it might not be the final wide receiver the LSU staff adds this offseason.