LSU football’s Zavion Thomas was named to the Paul Hornung Award watchlist on Thursday.
The award is presented annually to college football’s most versatile player. Former LSU playmaker Odell Beckham earned recognition in 2013 after contributing as a wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner.
Thomas, rostered as a wide receiver, also serves as a return specialist. The senior earned a spot on the AP’s preseason All-SEC second team for his success on special teams. In 2024, he averaged 26.4 yards per kick return and even scored a touchdown.
Before joining the Tigers in 2024, Thomas recorded two standout seasons as a return specialist at Mississippi State. He accumulated 365 yards between kick and punt returns in 2023, finishing the year with 891 all-purpose yards. He increased that number to 993 all-purpose yards last year.
The Paul Hornung Award
Zavion Thomas is on the watch list for the most versatile player in college football pic.twitter.com/gxAnp4eODa
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 31, 2025
Thomas will face increased competition in the wide receiver room as LSU brought in multiple experienced Power Four pass catchers from the transfer portal. He caught 23 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns last year. Thomas has been working with the first group so far in training camp and LSU will look to get Thomas involved in different ways in 2025.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football’s Zavion Thomas named to Paul Hornung Award watchlist