Patriots add Thornton

The Patriots traded up to select Baylor WR Tyquan Thornton with the 50th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Thornton goes 6’2, 181 pounds and blazed a 4.28-second 40 time at the Combine. No, surprise then, that he averaged 15.7 yards per catch across 4 college seasons. Thornton also has strong hands (3.1% drop rate last year) and a nice catch radius. We’ll see if he can develop into a more complete receiver, but Thornton at least has a shot to emerge as a downfield weapon. It’s a major surprise that he landed in Round 2, but his fantasy stock is certainly on the rise.

Patriots beat writer Jeff Howe writes that WR Tyquan Thornton looks “noticeably skinny” at OTAs. “It’s fair to wonder how he’ll hold up against physical corners and through the constant hits from the 17-game regular season,” Howe concluded. The Baylor product goes 6’2, 181 pounds. So there’s a chance he puts on a bit of weight before Week 1. Still, Thornton — a true burner — will want to remain relatively light to play fast. He projects to play a rotational role as a rookie.