By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Following his work at Baylor’s pro day on March 30, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton didn’t want his speed at the NFL Combine to only define him.
At Indianapolis in early March, he registered the fast of all receivers with a 40 time of 4.28 seconds. But in front of 31 NFL franchises that day, he said he wanted to show he could be a reliable receiver and someone who could be a disciplined route runner.
Between those dates and over the next four weeks, the 6-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots were convinced. They used their second-round draft pick – 50th overall – to take the wide receiver who had declared early for the draft.
Thornton was projected to go either in the third or fourth round of this draft. However, a combination of his speed and work habits led to this moment. The one-time four-star recruit from Miami’s Booker T. Washington High School had the best season of a Baylor receiver in 2021.
Following a slow start, he caught 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 scores. He averaged better than 15 yards per catch, also the best of any BU receiver. Thornton broke out in a big way with 187-yard, two touchdown receiving day against West Virginia on Oct. 9. His first score was on the second play of the game when he caught a slant, got away from the Mountaineer secondary and scored easily. The play went for 75 yards.
It was a big bounce back from a disappointing 2020 COVID-19 shortened season when he caught just 16 passes for 158 yards. That was the year when many thought Thornton was ready to take the baton to become the No. 1 receiver from Denzel Mims.
With rookie wage agreements being in place since 2011, Spotrac projects Thornton to receive a contract of a little more than $7 million with a signing bonus of $2.3 million.
Publisher
Following his work at Baylor’s pro day on March 30, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton didn’t want his speed at the NFL Combine to only define him.
At Indianapolis in early March, he registered the fast of all receivers with a 40 time of 4.28 seconds. But in front of 31 NFL franchises that day, he said he wanted to show he could be a reliable receiver and someone who could be a disciplined route runner.
Between those dates and over the next four weeks, the 6-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots were convinced. They used their second-round draft pick – 50th overall – to take the wide receiver who had declared early for the draft.
Thornton was projected to go either in the third or fourth round of this draft. However, a combination of his speed and work habits led to this moment. The one-time four-star recruit from Miami’s Booker T. Washington High School had the best season of a Baylor receiver in 2021.
Following a slow start, he caught 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 scores. He averaged better than 15 yards per catch, also the best of any BU receiver. Thornton broke out in a big way with 187-yard, two touchdown receiving day against West Virginia on Oct. 9. His first score was on the second play of the game when he caught a slant, got away from the Mountaineer secondary and scored easily. The play went for 75 yards.
It was a big bounce back from a disappointing 2020 COVID-19 shortened season when he caught just 16 passes for 158 yards. That was the year when many thought Thornton was ready to take the baton to become the No. 1 receiver from Denzel Mims.
With rookie wage agreements being in place since 2011, Spotrac projects Thornton to receive a contract of a little more than $7 million with a signing bonus of $2.3 million.
