Patriots Rookie Tyquan Thornton Downplays Slender Frame, Skinny Wrists

FOXBORO, Mass. — Tyquan Thornton is skinny — like, really skinny. The ultra-fast Patriots receiver has the kind of wiry frame that makes you wonder whether he can hold up in the NFL.

And that’s not just us and draft analysts saying it. Last week, New England wideout Kendrick Bourne praised his rookie teammate but also said, “We gotta get some weight on my guy.”

However, when asked about his weight after Tuesday’s OTAs practice, Thornton largely downplayed concerns over his build. The second-round pick did confirm he’s trying to add weight, though.

“It’s a process coming in every day,” Thornton said of gaining weight. “Just trying to work and get better, making strides every day.”

Thornton, who stands 6-foot-2 and is listed at 181 pounds, also sounds relatively comfortable with his own build. So, while Patriots fans probably can expect the young receiver to fill out over the next few years, they shouldn’t expect a dramatic transformation.

“Just staying true to myself,” Thornton said of his current dietary strategy. “Always look at myself in the mirror. You know, this is my body type, this is my frame. I don’t see myself being 225 pounds. Been thin all my life.

“Just getting stronger in the weight room, building my muscles so I can have that fast-twitch.”

Thornton, who noted he doesn’t have a specific goal in mind for weight increase, is focusing on the weight room moreso than the dinner table.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say getting bigger, I’d just say getting stronger,” he said. “(Having) speed but having strength.”

Thornton also laughed off the admittedly weird debate over his hands and wrists, both of which apparently were the smallest of any player taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. In fact, some analysts seemed more worried about Thornton’s wrists than they were encouraged by the blazing speed he showed at the scouting combine.

“That was new to me,” Thornton said of learning that wrist size actually is a topic before, during and after the draft. When asked if his small wrists ever have hampered him on the gridiron, the Baylor product offered a simple answer:

“No.”

There’s no denying that Thornton needs to get bigger and stronger as he prepares for life in the NFL. But it also will be important for him and the Patriots to find a plan that works best for Thornton’s body type without sacrificing his game-changing speed. Striking that balance will be a crucial part of his development in New England.

That said, Thornton’s college film reveals a receiver who is much more than a straight-line downfield threat. While he might never channel Julian Edelman from Super Bowl XLIX, Thornton is sneaky-tough and shows a willingness to take hits over the middle of the field.

He and the Patriots will practice again Wednesday and Thursday before returning next week for mandatory minicamp.