LSU's Zavion Thomas named to 2025 Paul Hornung Award watch list
Zavion Thomas wasted no time making a name for himself in Baton Rouge — and now the college football world is taking notice.
The LSU senior wide receiver and return specialist has been named to the 2025 Paul Hornung Award preseason watch list, an honor that recognizes the most versatile players in college football. Thomas is one of 47 players selected from schools across nine FBS conferences.
The Hornung Award, established in 2010, celebrates all-purpose standouts who impact the game in multiple phases. Odell Beckham Jr. won the award in 2013 while he was at LSU.
In his first season with the Tigers after transferring from Mississippi State, Thomas became LSU’s Swiss Army knife. He finished the year with 933 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns, averaging 14.2 yards per touch.
As a return man, Thomas led the SEC in kickoff return yardage with 633 yards and ranked second in the league in return average at 26.4 yards per attempt. He tallied his third career return touchdown during the season — his second on a kickoff.
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Offensively, he hauled in 23 receptions for 218 yards and two scores, giving the Tigers a reliable option in the slot and a threat in space every time he touched the ball.
Thomas transferred to LSU after two seasons at Mississippi State, where he appeared in 22 games and recorded 42 catches for 507 yards. He also returned both a punt and kickoff for touchdowns with the Bulldogs, including a 94-yard kickoff score against Texas A&M in 2023 and a 63-yard punt return touchdown versus Georgia in 2022.
He’s appeared in 35 games with 11 starts at wide receiver and continues to build on a reputation as one of the most electric, do-it-all playmakers in college football. Thomas is poised to be a key weapon for the Tigers in 2025.
