Tag: Tyquan Thornton

Projecting Patriots starters for 2022: What to do with Nelson Agholor, Jonnu Smith?

How can the Patriots get Nelson Agholor and Jonnu Smith on the field? And how will the linebacker spots shake out?

The New England Patriots head into the summer — equipped with OTAs (organized team activities), mandatory minicamp, and eventually, training camp — with several outside the organization, including the national media, local media and fan base, wondering if the team made enough offseason moves necessary for the team to compete in a suddenly loaded AFC.

Several teams in the conference have bolstered their rosters via blockbuster moves and acquisitions to catch teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Patriots AFC East foe Buffalo Bills as potential Super Bowl contenders.

Has New England done enough to keep up?

Other than trading for former Miami Dolphin wide receiver DeVante Parker, signing safety/linebacker hybrid Jabrill Peppers, and welcoming back Malcolm Butler, Bill Belichick, Matt Groh and the franchise’s front office were rather quiet on the additions front in the early free agency period. Of course, much of that is due to limited cap space from the 2021 spending spree.

In the draft, the team shocked many by selecting UT-Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange (first round, No. 29 overall) and Baylor receiver Tyquan Thornton (second round, No. 50 overall) with its first two picks before selecting back-to-back cornerbacks in Marcus Jones and Jack Jones in rounds three and four. The consensus from the media and many mock drafts in the pre-draft process was that some of these players could have been added significantly later than where they were picked.

Generally team seems set on some what of a run-it-back approach with personnel, despite losing key pieces like cornerback J.C. Jackson (Los Angeles Chargers), guard Shaq Mason (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Kyle Van Noy (Los Angeles Chargers). And there are certainly question marks on the offensive coaching staff with Josh McDaniels now in Las Vegas as Raiders head coach.

Will they improve on offense and/or defense this season? Here are the Patriots’ projected starters tasked to provide an answer to that question.

Podcast: What to expect from Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton in Year 1

What do you think Tyquan Thornton’s stat line will be for 2022?

The New England Patriots are in need of an outside threat that will change the complexion of the offense.

Enter Tyquan Thornton, the team’s second-round draft choice.

New England traded up in the second round to ensure they got him — and set off a run of receivers. Clearly, the Patriots valued Thornton above the others on the board. Clearly, New England thinks he can make a big diffeernt in their offense. But how quickly? And how might the skinny, speedy receiver evolve in the Patriots offense?

These are questions we wrestled with in our podcast. We spoke to Thornton’s head coach Dave Aranda from Baylor. Hear from him — and get our takes on the receiving prospect in this week’s Patriots Wire episode.

Follow the Patriots Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

What do you think his stat line will be for 2022?

[listicle id=122316]

Report: Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton was on at least 2 teams’ radar in Round 2

It sounds like there were multiple teams interested.

New England Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton was on at least two teams’ radar in Round 2 of the 2022 NFL draft, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

When New England took Thornton at 50th overall out of Baylor, many draft experts were stunned. Media members widely considered the receiver to be a mid-round pick, likely to land in the fourth round. But Bill Belichick and the Patriots drafted him in the middle of the second round, a move which the media criticized. There’s no doubt the Patriots tipped that they wanted to get faster at every position, with Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh telling the media they would do just that. Thornton was the fastest receiver in this draft class. But apparently, teams viewed him as a good draft prospect with more to bring than his speed.

There were multiple teams eying Thornton in Round 2:

“New England is taking heat in media post-draft grades for reaching, but what emerged in pre-draft conversations is that Baylor wideout Tyquan Thornton wasn’t necessarily a reach for many teams. The Patriots’ second-round pick (No. 50) also was on the radar of the Packers, Saints and others as a Day 2 option. He combined the 4.28 speed with strong interviews, as teams liked his football acumen. Some saw him as a Day 3 prospect, to be sure. But he was a classic riser in the weeks leading up to the draft, and the Patriots visited with him very late in the process, which was telling.”

Thornton joined a Patriots receiver group which includes Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Pakrer, Nelson Agholor and N’Keal Harry, among others.

[listicle id=122170]

Mike Gerardi shares how teams viewed Patriots first two draft picks

Mike Girardi broke down where other teams saw the Patriots first two draft picks.

The New England Patriots had an NFL draft that surprised many. They selected offensive lineman Cole Strange with the 29th pick, while they selected  Baylor receiver Tyquan Thornton in the second round.

The picks have been scrutinized in the following days, with the Los Angeles Rams openly questioning the selection of Strange early in the draft.

Multiple experts have graded the draft picks in recent days. On Tuesday, Mike Girardi of NFL Network gave new insight into where these two draft picks were placed on other teams’ draft boards.

The Patriots chose Strange, and in the process, passed on players such as corners Andrew Booth and Kyler Gordon. In choosing Thornton, the Patriots passed on Georgia wide receiver George Pickens and Western Michigan receiver Skyy Moore. For both Strange and Thornton, several teams had their eyes on both players before the Patriots elected to draft them.

“On Cole Strange, I’ve learned, per source, there was a team in the 40s that had their eyes on Strange,” Giardi tweeted. “Would they have traded up had he began Day 2 still on the board? That part is unclear. Strange definitely was getting picked in Round 2 regardless.

“And while we’re at it, on the Tyquan Thornton pick, league source believes there was a team lurking on the Baylor WR and perhaps a fear from the Patriots that the Steelers (at 52) were ready to pounce. So they move up 4 spots and get the speed merchant.”

The Patriots needed depth at both the offensive line and wide receiver position groups heading into the draft. With both these selections, they filled areas of need, despite the questions surrounding the early choices. As training camp gets closer, time will tell how these two will exactly fit into the equation for the organization.

[lawrence-related id=122025]

4 things to know about Patriots rookie WR Tyquan Thornton

The New England Patriots drafted wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on Friday. Here are some things to know about the newest draft pick

With the 50th overall pick in the second round, the New England Patriots selected wide receiver Tyquan Thornton

Known for being a speedy wide receiver at Baylor, Thornton will have a chance to prove himself, as New England looks to add depth to the wide receiver room. With his playmaking ability, the rookie could find himself an integral part of the offense throughout the course of his Patriots career.

In a star-studded draft class, Thornton flew a bit under the radar for media and fans alike. Today, we take a look at four things you need to know about the Patriots newest second-round pick

A closer look at the Patriots’ 2022 draft picks: Everything you need to know

Get to know the Patriots draft class, from Cole Strange to Tyquan Thornton to Andrew Stueber.

The New England Patriots put together a 2022 draft class that drew mixed reviews from analysts. But Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh seemed content with what he and Bill Belichick assembled this weekend. They added a Day 1 starter at guard (Cole Strange), which solves the team’s biggest problem. They added depth at cornerback (Marcus Jones, Jack Jones), with two additions to the position who should contribute this season. And they added three skill players (receiver Tyquan Thornton and running backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris) to help Mac Jones’ ascent.

Maybe the Patriots didn’t get impressive value. But if they hit (despite the skepticism), the rookies should be impactful. So let’s get into greater detail, with everything you need to know.

Matt Groh bristles at suggestion Patriots reached for Cole Strange, Tyquan Thornton

The Patriots director of player personnel explains why the NFL draft isn’t “cut and dry.”

The New England Patriots received some negative feedback from fans regarding their decisions in the 2022 NFL Draft thus far.

Selecting Cole Strange in the first round was quickly labeled as a puzzling decision and fans couldn’t get over the timing of the pick. Many fans and pundits believed Strange would be available in the third round and Bill Belichick responded by saying he didn’t think Strange would’ve made it out of the second round. Belichick went as far as saying the Patriots may have drafted Strange with the No. 21 pick if they didn’t trade back.

Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh backed that sentiment up and said “it’s really easy for people to say” what to do, but the draft is extremely fluid.

“It’s not all so cut and dry with where you think a guy is going to go, and you’ve got to look at what the rest of the board is telling you,” Groh said, via Boston.com. “If you value a player high enough, then you want that player to be a part of your team.”

Groh discussed the value that Strange brings, while discussing his toughness and intelligence in depth.

“He’s almost 6’5″, 300 pounds, and runs sub-5 seconds in the 40,” Groh said. “There’s not a lot of humans out there that are doing that, benched 225, 31 times. This is a really big, strong, tough, athletic guy. If you value toughness, which we do, you value guys like Cole Strange.”

The Patriots’ second pick was speedy receiver Tyquan Thornton out of Baylor, and there was some criticism surround him as well. Thornton is the fastest receiver in the draft with a 4.28 40-yard dash, but he doesn’t have the intangibles as some of the top receivers who were selected.

Many people believe Thornton is just a vertical threat with limited ability to run routes, and Groh contested that thought.

“He’s a little bit longer, a little bit leaner, but with his speed, he can certainly open some things up for us offensively,” Groh said.

The Patriots hit dire needs in the roster by drafting an interior lineman, wide receiver and cornerback. They have eight remaining picks to continue to build on that depth — and, it’s likely fans won’t agree with some of the decision ahead.

[listicle id=121665]

What draft analysts are saying about Patriots selecting WR Tyquan Thornton 50th overall

Several reactions poured in as the Patriots drafted Tyquan Thornton

[mm-video type=video id=01g1vyt7qpp5g0vytyy3 playlist_id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g1vyt7qpp5g0vytyy3/01g1vyt7qpp5g0vytyy3-9e9b78ebb7d760fd76b630dae735a0e1.jpg]

With the 50th overall pick in the second round, the New England Patriots selected wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Thornton comes to New England by way of Baylor, where he put up 10 receiving touchdowns in the 2021 season.

Thornton gives the Patriots a potential speed threat at the wide receiver position, something that could help quarterback Mac Jones. With New England needing an outside threat, Thornton has the potential to be the answer in that department.

With New England selecting their pick, draft pundits from several media entities reacted to the selection. Here are just some of the many that circulated throughout the night.

Twitter has mixed reactions to Patriots selecting WR Tyquan Thornton

Twitter had varying reactions to the Patriots second round draft pick.

The New England Patriots selected Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton with the 50th overall pick in the second round. The Patriots gave up a fifth-round pick to trade up four spots in the second round to get the receiver.

Last season, he was able to catch 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns. Posting the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, he brings an element of speed to the New England passing game as they look to reshape the wide receiver room.

All over Twitter, reactions were varied as drafting wide receivers was a theme of the second round. We take a look at some of the best reactions to the pick.

Grading the Patriots drafting Baylor WR Tyquan Thornton

The Patriots have a developmental WR. Can he be WR1 by 2023?

The New England Patriots are taking another swing at the speedy, outside receiver that they have lacked for so many years. Basically, they haven’t had that guy since Brandin Cooks and Randy Moss.

No one expects the Patriots’ second-round pick Tyquan Thornton to be Moss. But maybe he can be the player that Nelson Agholor and N’Keal Harry were not. Maybe with a year to serve as DeVante Parker’s understudy, Thornton can be a WR1 in 2023. Surely, that’s what the Patriots are hoping by grabbing the speedster receiver in the second round after trading up to get him.

The first thing that stands out with Thornton is his measurements. He’s 6-foot-2, 180 pounds — on the lanky side — but he can absolutely fly, with the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine (4.28 seconds). His 3-cone drill underwhelmed (7.25 seconds), which is interesting — because that’s usually the Patriots’ favorite barometer for receivers. But there’s no doubt that he’s explosive. He’s also not just a measurables guy. He put up impressive production at Baylor in 2021: 62 catches for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns.

So you’re thinking: What’s the problem? There’s always a problem with the player if he falls to Round 2.

Well, you’re right. His skinny frame creates concerns about whether he’ll struggle against press coverage in the NFL. His unimpressive 3-cone supports evidence that he’s sometimes sloppy or slow in changing directions with his routes. That’s why ESPN’s Mel Kiper had Thornton as a fourth-rounder, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had the receiver as a fifth-rounder and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein figured Thornton would land in Round 3 or 4.

So in Round 2? That’s a surprise.

It was the same story with New England’s first-round pick, Chattanooga guard Cole Strange. Both picks felt like a reaches.

But here’s the bottom line: New England needed speed, and it got it. Thornton will contribute as a special teams player and develop, in theory, into the kind of weapon the Patriots have so desperately lacked in recent years. There’s tremendous risk with Thornton. If he can’t figure out how to beat press coverage, he’s in trouble. But that’s the type of player the Patriots like to chase in Round 2. Big risk. Big reward.

That’s why I’ll give this pick a C+. I like what the Patriots were thinking. I just worry he’s nothing but speed.

It will be fascinating to see how Thornton’s career stacks up with the receivers who were picked almost immediately after him: the Steelers’ George Pickens, the Colts’ Alec Pierce and the Chiefs’ Skyy Moore.

[listicle id=121520]