The New England Patriots had to share the good news with Tyquan Thornton before announcing it to the football world.
Shortly before selecting the former Baylor wide receiver with the 50th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Friday night, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft both spoke to him on the phone to tell them what they were about to do.
The Patriots gave fans the chance to see their side of the call in a video they shared Saturday via social media.
"Alright, so we made you Patriot," Belichick told Thornton, as seen in the Patriots' "Inside the Draft Room" video.
Thornton ran the fastest 40-yard-dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, and Kraft was sure to mention his eye-popping speed.
"I can't tell you how excited I am that you’re joining us and I know you run pretty fast there with a 4.22," Kraft told Thornton.
Thornton revealed Friday night in a conference he had come to "love" Belichick in the conversations they had in the lead up to the draft. Imagine how excited Thornton must have been to hear Belichick telling him he's headed to New England.
Although New England strayed from its usual blueprint by picking Thornton, he'll follow the tried-and-true development path Patriots rookies walk, the one that begins with the phone call from Belichick and Kraft.
