Tyquan Thornton | Baylor | 6’2” 181 lbs.| 12/02/1999 (Age 22)
Tyquan Thornton was drafted 50th overall by the New England Patriots, becoming the 10th wide receiver and 50th overall player in the 2022 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
| Year | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2018 (FR) | 10 | 20 | 354 | 17.7 | 3 |
| 2019 (SO) | 13 | 45 | 782 | 17.4 | 5 |
| 2020 (JR) | 5 | 16 | 158 | 9.9 | 1 |
| 2021 (SR) | 14 | 62 | 948 | 15.3 | 10 |
Thornton committed to Baylor after dominating in both track and football at Booker T. Washington High School. After a limited role during his freshman season, Thornton put together a solid 2019 campaign. He hauled in 45 receptions for 782 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. He missed some time and showed a ton of inconsistency during the 2020 season before putting together his best collegiate season in 2021. Thornton was a second-team all-conference receiver, as he led the Bears with 62 receptions for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns.
STRENGTHS
Track star with jaw-dropping speed. Great at creating separation. Above-average feel for spacing near him, whether that’s a defender or a boundary. Good productivity when healthy in 2019 and 2021. Terrific foot quickness for a taller receiver. Willing blocker who shows great awareness on his run-block assignments.
WEAKNESSES
Stick thin with little muscle tone. His hands are extremely small, which showcases when he struggles to hang on through contact. Slow to come out of breaks and cannot change directions at a quick rate. Work-in-progress who hasn’t run a ton of different route patterns.
ATHLETIC TESTING
At the NFL combine, Thornton measured in at 6’2” and 181 lbs. Which equates to a BMI of 23.2. He was the fastest receiver at the combine, as he posted a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash (100th percentile), equating to a 110.6-speed score (92nd percentile). Thornton also displayed an impressive 131.0 burst score (89th percentile), an impressive catch radius of 10.2 (84th percentile), and a solid college dominator of 37.5 percent (75th). His agility of score of 11.64 (12th percentile) is less than ideal for someone with his speed.
Thornton showcases elite speed, and he also displays solid leaping abilities. His 36.5” vertical and 130” broad jump serve well for someone with his speed. Some major red flags with Thornton are his strength and hand size. His 8 ¼” hand size was the smallest recorded amongst all receivers at the combine.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Poor
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Poor
Thornton was the 50th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Mac Jones gets a speedy weapon with Thornton in New England’s young and up-and-coming offense. In a crowded wide receiver room, he joins DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Thornton will likely serve as the Patriot’s WR3/4, and he may eventually have a return specialist role. We shouldn’t expect great fantasy numbers right away, but this team’s future at wide receiver is in question. Thornton has an opportunity to shine early on in his career, and he should be targeted in the mid-to-late rounds in dynasty start-ups. As far as redraft, he’s not worth targeting unless New England decides to depart from a few of the names above.
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