Tag: Tyquan Thornton

WATCH: Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton jukes CB out of shoes at practice

Yikes! Tyquan Thornton is still waving bye after this juke.

It isn’t quite winter just yet in Foxborough, but rookie receiver Tyquan Thornton had veteran cornerback Terrance Mitchell on skates at Monday’s training camp practice.

Coach Bill Belichick should strongly consider adding “Let It Go” from the movie “Frozen” to the Patriots’ practice music playlist because Thornton is turning the field into a wintery wonderland.

The speed isn’t the only thing that kills when watching the second-round draft pick out of Baylor University go to work. It’s the sudden change of direction with his routes—that small area of tremendous footwork and quickness few have even at this level.

Unfortunately for Mitchell, he was on the receiving end of it in this particular one-on-one matchup.

You can clearly hear all of the oohs and aahs from fans attending the open practice.

The Patriots have been desperately waiting for a young playmaker capable of beating one-on-one coverage and giving the quarterback another reliable target to throw the ball to. This problem goes all the way back to the days when Tom Brady was screaming at the unit to be “faster, quicker and more explosive.”

Thornton might finally be the receiver that gives the Patriots all of the above.

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5 takeaways from Day 10 of Patriots training camp

It wasn’t a pretty day for the offense.

After taking a couple of days off, the New England Patriots were back at it on the practice field on Monday.

It was the first game week practice with the team set to face the New York Giants in Thursday’s preseason opener. And it wasn’t a pretty sight, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

The defense flat-out dominated in a practice that left more questions than answers. But as center David Andrews eloquently put it, “you can’t let today or any day derail anything in the future.”

“You can’t let today or any day derail anything in the future,” Andrews told media members after the practice. “That’s just how it goes. Wins, losses—you just got to stay steady. You can’t go up and down.”

Hear are five takeaways from Monday’s practice.

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton has high praise for this Patriots legend

Tyquan Thornton has enjoyed learning from former Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown.

New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton has been practicing with a Patriots legend, who also used to play the same position.

Patriots Hall of Famer Troy Brown, the team’s receivers coach, has been working with the rookie during training camp. Thornton was seven years old when Brown played his final snap with the Patriots. Now, the rookie wideout is looking to learn from Brown as he tries to leave his own mark in the New England offense.

The second-year wideout from Baylor has been watching Brown’s film. Brown had a tenacious, rugged play style, and one aspect of Brown’s game stood out to Thornton.

“His motivation,” Thornton said, via NESN’s Dakota Randall. “Getting coached up by him, then you can go into him and see the film. He used to put fear in guys’ hearts out there — and he tells us every day, he reminds us.

“He’s a dog. He’s a dog. Probably the only person I know that played the wideout position, the Star (defensive) position, and going on defense and going to block punts — that’s a true definition of a dog.”

Brown had decent statistics as a defender as well as his reputation for being a stout receiver. For instance, he had three interceptions in the 2004 season, and finished one interception behind Eugene Wilson for the team lead that season.

Thornton won’t probably have the defensive prowess that Brown showed a bit of during his career. However, Brown’s motivation and body of work as a receiver are things that Thornton can try to emulate.

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Jakobi Meyers explains how Tyquan Thornton has impressed

At what point will Tyquan Thornton start climbing the depth chart?

New England Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton isn’t the top man on the depth chart. Far from it. Even though the Patriots traded up to draft Thornton at 50th overall in the 2022 NFL draft, he sat firmly behind veteran receivers DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor.

But Thornton has begun starting to get involved with the first- and second-team offense. He hasn’t wowed with any splash plays, particularly with the team spending the entirety of its team drills in the red area. (There’s not enough field to stretch.) Thornton, the fastest wideout at the 2022 NFL combine, has chipped away at the defense with short receptions, which is actually a positive sign for the youngster.

“He’s fast. He’s elusive. A lot of people don’t realize how quick he is coming in and out of his break,” receiver Jakobi Meyers said of Thornton after practice on Friday. “I feel like Tyquan’s going to have a good career in the league. I’ll be excited watching him play.”

Playing receiver is more complicated than simply turning on the jets. Thornton is learning the nuances to apply his unique athleticism to the wideout position. He discussed what parts of his game he’s focusing on developing.

“It’s pretty obvious that I’m fast, so now I’m just trying to work on the other areas: strength, route running, contested catches and just trying to become the complete receiver,” Thornton said Friday.

He added: “I’m just trying to get 1% better every day. (After) 365 days, I’ll get 365% better.”

I’m not a math genius, but I think those numbers check out — unless we’re talking about compounding gains but I digress.

Without an offensive coordinator, New England’s entire coaching staff is focused on bringing him along, from receivers coach Troy Brown to coach Bill Belichick. The staff is watching the development of the second-rounder, who has demonstrated an eagerness and resiliency for learning. Thornton had invited constructive criticism from Meyers on his routes and footwork. Thornton has also been an example of what not to do during positional drills, with Belichick stopping a drill to correct the rookie receiver in front of the entire group to make sure the wideouts heard that coaching point.

And that didn’t faze the youngster.

“You just take the coaching, and the next rep, you can correct the mistakes,” he said.

If it’s that simple, Meyers is right: Thornton will have a good NFL career.

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ESPN believes this Patriots’ rookie can make immediate splash

Tyquan Thornton could be a key piece of the Patriots wide receiver room.

Draft pundits are beginning to take stock of the New England Patriots 2022 draft class. One ESPN analyst believes a certain draft pick can make an impact right away.

Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton was taken by the Patriots in the second round of the draft. The speedster from Baylor is coming off a 2021 season that saw him record 62 catches for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.

Thornton was part of a remake of the Patriots’ wide receiver room. New England also traded for DeVante Parker in addition to the former Baylor star, as depth and production remain key goals for the position.

ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler believes Thornton can make an impact. He was asked on SportsCenter Tuesday morning about which rookie wideouts will be able to shine immediately, as transcribed by Jason Ounpraseuth of NESN.com.

“Let’s swing it to New England — Tyquan Thornton, he was considered a surprise second-round pick, but talking to some people and some teams who’ve interviewed him, they’re not as surprised,” Fowler said Sunday. “He was very sharp in team interviews. He’s been good in the Patriots film room already, understands passing concepts. And so they have a crowded room a receiver with four or five position players, but with that 4.2 speed, should be able to crack it somewhere.”

Thornton has been putting in the work in order to crack that wide receiver room. He has been a part of the workout groups that Mac Jones has been putting together during the course of this offseason. He could be an important piece of the offensive equation for the Patriots, as they look to have success in a crowded AFC East.

With the Patriots looking for production at wide receiver, Thornton’s speed and playmaking ability can make him an attractive candidate to make a splash.

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Patriots position preview: Breaking down the WRs ahead of camp

The Patriots are in a strange position of having too many mediocre and above-average receivers.

The New England Patriots are in a strange position of having too many mediocre to above-average receivers. Their depth chart doesn’t feature a top-flight receiver, but they have a group of five wideouts that might qualify as a WR2 or WR3 on most rosters. It will be an interesting — and perhaps everchanging — complexion of receivers from week to week during the regular season.

It’s possible the Patriots feature a different receiver, depending upon their matchup in a given week. One player could play 100% of snaps one week — only to play 30% the next week. But because they have that core of talent, the Patriots might have a handful of tough decisions, likely involving cuts or trades from the back end (or the top) of the depth chart.

Let’s dive into our training camp preview of the receiver position.

CBS Sports says Baylor one of the most likely 2021 conference champions to repeat in 2022

Returning a lot of talent in the trenches, the Baylor Bears are among the most likely to repeat as conference champions in 2022 according to CBS Sports.

The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to get back on top of the Big 12 mountain after losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State kept the then six-time defending champions out of the conference title game. Baylor held on by the skin of their teeth to beat the Cowboys.

The Bears are bringing back quite a bit from their Big 12 championship and were ranked third among 2021 conference champions most likely to repeat in 2022 by CBS Sports Shehan Jeyarajah.

With Oklahoma in a transition, the Big 12 has quietly become as competitive at the top as it has been in several years. As many as five teams could have legitimate Big 12 title shots in 2022. However, the Bears are in a great position to repeat with what should be one of the best line groups in the country on both ends. Baylor returns every member of the two deep on the defensive line and add elite Tulsa transfer Jaxon Player to the rotation. The four top offensive line starters are back, too. New starting quarterback Blake Shapen will make or break the Bears’ title chances after beating out veteran Gerry Bohanon in camp. Early returns are strong. – Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

The Bears lost several key players to their 2021 run like running backs Abram Smith and Tristan Ebner, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, and defensive standouts Jalen Pitre and Terrel Bernard. But as Jeyarajah mentions, they’re returning a ton of talent in the trenches and that’s where Baylor looks to have the advantage on paper in the Big 12.

Oklahoma’s replacing all four starters on the defensive line and two starters on the offensive line. There has been a ton of turnover on the coaching staff and in the starting lineup.

The Sooners will be in contention in 2022, but the questions that linger for the Sooners are how quickly they can adopt Brent Venables’ defense and how quickly they build chemistry on offense.

The Sooners have done a fantastic job of attacking the transfer portal to add veteran players to help supplement a roster that lost 11 players to the NFL and several more to the transfer portal. Led by Dillon Gabriel and Jeffery Johnson, the Sooners added as many as seven players through the transfer portal that could start for them in 2022.

Just under two months until the start of the 2022 regular season, the Oklahoma Sooners are considered the favorite to win the Big 12, but they’ll face a stiff challenge from the Baylor Bears, the Texas Longhorns, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. As Jeyarajah mentions, the conference is as deep and competitive at the top as it’s been in a long time.

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Why Tyquan Thornton may not make his mark on Patriots offense in 2022

Tyquan Thornton is in a position where he’s likely to watch and learn in 2022.

The New England Patriots don’t need Tyquan Thornton to contribute in 2022 and that — more than any other reason — is why he’s likely to spend most of the year as the team’s fifth receiver on the depth chart.

The Patriots traded up to pick Thornton in Round 2 — a move that surprised many — but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll make his mark on the offense during his rookie season. The truth is that rookie receivers rarely contribute meaningfully in their first year in New England under Bill Belichick. And this year, more than ever, Thornton will have a hard time ascending the depth chart.

New England is entering a season where they have Jakobi Meyers, a reliable slot option who has proven he can produce. They also have players entering their second year in the offense after signing in free agency: Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor. And then there’s the recent acquisition of receiver DeVante Parker, who joined the Patriots in a trade this offseason. The Patriots are also likely going to use a solid amount of 2-RB and 2-TE sets. Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry will be big parts of the offense. James White is returning from an injury and Rhamondre Stevenson excelled as a pass-catcher. New England has no shortage of weapons.

Thornton’s most direct competition will be Parker and Agholor, the top outside receivers on the roster. Parker is a big-bodied field stretcher, who has the frame to serve as a weapon in the red area. Agholor is a speedster and a deep threat. That makes it harder for Thornton, who Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh touted as a burner with red-zone-scoring potential. Thronton’s skills overlap with both Parker and Agholor.

The Patriots will likely end up giving Thornton a year to develop. And at minicamp, he looked like he might just be the type of player who needs just that season of seasoning. He’s slight of frame and didn’t necessarily play with the blazing speed that he ran at the NFL combine.

That shouldn’t necessarily worry Patriots fans. New England generally likes to ease their second-round picks into action. And the Patriots don’t force their rookie receivers to play right away.

When New England drafted Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce in 2009, it had Wes Welker and Randy Moss on the team. Dobson and Boyce had the opportunity to ascend into major roles in 2010 — but, ultimately, went the way of so many receiver busts that the Patriots have drafted. When the Patriots drafted Malcolm Mitchell in the fourth round in 2016, they eased him onto the field in a group that included Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola and James White.

There have been some exceptions. When the Patriots drafted receiver N’Keal Harry in Round 1, they badly needed help at receiver. Harry remains one of the team’s biggest first-round disappointments.

Thornton has time to watch and learn. If he fights past the veterans that are above him, the Patriots will likely be pleased. But New England clearly doesn’t expect him to serve as the WR1 in Year 1. Thornton is a developmental prospect who should explode in 2022 when the Patriots look light at receiver. Perhaps that’s when Thornton can stage a dramatic ascent.

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Report: Patriots sign remaining members of 2022 draft class

The New England Patriots now have all of their rookies under contract.

The New England Patriots announced they signed the remaining members of the 2022 draft class on Thursday. Offensive lineman Cole Strange, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, and quarterback Bailey Zappe all agreed to deals with the team. The terms of the contracts were not announced.

Draft analysts viewed Strange as a bit of a reach pick at 29th overall. However, an impressive Senior Bowl showing and collegiate career helped improve his stock. He started in all five of his seasons at Chattanooga. He was a starter in 44 of 49 games in his college career.

Thornton comes to New England looking to provide a speed threat in the passing game. He played in 14 games in 2021 and caught 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns in a revamped wide receiver room. He could be a key piece as New England looks to continue to build depth at the position.

Zappe was a late-round selection with upside. He was the Conference USA MVP in 2021, after putting up record-breaking numbers. He passed for 5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns in just 11 games. He will add to a quarterback room that includes Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer.

The Patriots now have their entire rookie class in the fold, with training camp fast approaching.

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No one wants to challenge Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton to a race anymore

New England Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton is no longer challenged to foot races.

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New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton ran a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in March. It helped cement him as one of the fastest wide receivers in this year’s rookie class, and also was an eye-opener for many.

The wide receiver was able to parlay that speed into success at the collegiate level. He recorded 2,242 yards and 19 touchdowns and four years at Baylor. His 2021 season was his most productive, as he caught 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Many of his Baylor teammates use to challenge him to foot races, according to NESN’s Zach Cox. However, his performance in Indianapolis made them realize that they could not catch Thornton after all.

“A lot of guys asked to race,” Thornton told reporters Tuesday after the Patriots’ second open OTA practice. “But not after that 4.2.”

Thornton is the fastest player drafted by the Patriots in the Bill Belichick era. With a New England offense looking for explosiveness, the wideout could provide it.

Although there are uncertainties surrounding other aspects of Thornton’s game, his speed is something that hasn’t been questioned.

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