Tyquan Thornton couldn't be happier to have been drafted by Bill Belichick.
The Patriots' 2022 second-round draft pick raved about his new head coach after New England traded up to take him at No. 50 overall Friday night. Belichick's approach reminds Thornton of the culture he played in at Baylor.
"I love him already, man. He's a big process guy," the lightning-fast wide receiver said in a conference call. "That's all we spoke about at Baylor. Staying true to the process. I'm very excited to get to work with him and come in every day and learn my job. I'm ready to learn. I'm ready to compete and learn with the coaches."
Thornton, who caught 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final collegiate season, took a visit to Gillette Stadium during the pre-draft process and marveled at the franchise's illustrious history.
"I learned a lot of history about the Patriots, man," Thornton said. "Just walking around that facility and seeing the Patriots and all the greats that walked through that facility, I was excited just to be there. I was all on a high, and just meeting the coaches and seeing the schemes and everything that they do, it was nothing but great."
Thornton also said he's looking forward to teaming up with Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, whom he called "a stud."
"He plays at a high level," he said of New England's top 2021 draft pick.
Thornton will add a jolt of speed to New England's receiving corps. His 4.28-second 40-yard dash was the fastest of any wideout at this year's NFL Scouting Combine and the fastest by any receiver drafted by the Patriots during Belichick's tenure.
The former track star's weight (6-foot-3, 181 pounds), hand size (8 1/4 inches), three-cone time (7.25 seconds) and short shuttle (4.39) all ranked last among Belichick-era Patriots draftees at his position, however (not including special teamer Matthew Slater). That physical profile and emphasis on straight-line speed over quickness made him an uncharacteristic target for New England.
Most draft analysts also expected Thornton to hear his name called much later. He was widely viewed as a Day 3 prospect before the Patriots selected him with the 22nd pick in Round 2.
