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.
