Why New England Patriots rookie Tyquan Thornton’s blazing 40-yard dash is promising sign – NFL Nation

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Thornton’s blazing velocity: Operating the 40-yard sprint on the NFL scouting mix is among the final solo pursuits for rookies trying to break into the league. All eyes are on them. Nobody is there to select them up.

How former Baylor large receiver and Patriots second-round choose Tyquan Thornton ready for that defining second — by which he posted a blazing time of 4.28 seconds, the quickest of any receiver this yr and fourth quickest of any receiver since 2006 — is a notable story that doubtlessly bodes properly for his transition to the professionals.

Thornton was planning to arrange in Texas however made a late change to XPE Sports activities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the place he was a part of a coaching group with Baylor cornerback Kalon Barnes (seventh spherical, Panthers) and College of Texas-San Antonio cornerback Tariq Woolen (fifth spherical, Seahawks).

The three produced the quickest occasions at this yr’s mix — Thornton’s 4.28, Barnes at 4.23 and Woolen at 4.26.

“They only saved pushing one another. It was a contest and it ended up working properly the place all of them killed it on the mix,” stated XPE’s Matt Gates, who has been coaching prospects for the mix since 2003.

Simply as Thornton fed off the competitors with Barnes and Woolen, the Patriots are banking on the identical factor taking place in a New England receiver room headlined by DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers.

There may be extra to taking part in soccer than working a 40-yard sprint, after all. So how Thornton’s scorching velocity is mixed into the Patriots’ general system — and if he can grasp quite a lot of routes — will probably be one of many key determinants of whether or not the crew had a profitable draft.

Gates, who labored with the 6-foot-2, 181-pound Thornton for a 10-week stretch that started in early January, is optimistic.

“Once we began pre-testing, I used to be like, ‘Man, we have one thing right here,'” he stated. “Tremendous easy. Tremendous explosive. And actually, for a man that’s that quick, you do not usually see somebody who can change instructions and catch the ball properly. Lots of occasions you may see straight-ahead large receivers who can blow the highest off it, however they cannot run a route. Tyquan can do all that — he is acquired good palms, he is sensible, he picks issues up fast.”

One instance of how Thornton picks issues up got here early within the 10 weeks spent coaching with Gates.

“His method wasn’t nice. Regardless that he had a monitor background, we simply needed to tighten up some issues on his begin and some issues alongside the way in which,” Gates stated. “It clicked immediately.”

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Baylor QB Blake Shapen drops a dime to Tyquan Thornton, who makes a incredible catch for a landing.

2. Warmth prep: With the Patriots scheduled to open the season in Miami, hydration and conditioning — all the time vital — determine to be emphasised that rather more all through coaching camp. Alongside these strains, the Patriots and Raiders are planning to carry no less than considered one of their Las Vegas-based August joint practices outdoors, with the opposite inside Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas climate in August is commonly scorching, with highs sometimes hitting triple digits.

3. Jedd’s visitors? The Patriots would possibly see a advantage of staying out West after their Week 14 sport in opposition to the Cardinals, as an alternative of touring dwelling after which turning again round for a Week 15 sport on the highway in opposition to the Raiders. Coach Invoice Belichick has finished that previously, most just lately with back-to-back highway video games in Los Angeles in 2020. If that’s the case, an prolonged keep on the College of Arizona — the place former Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch enters his second yr as head coach — would make sense.

4. Rookie intros: Offensive lineman Cole Strange and the remainder of the Patriots’ 2022 rookie class had been on the sphere for the primary time Friday and Saturday in a closed-to-the-media rookie minicamp, and they’ll now spend nearly all of the offseason on the town as they transition to life within the execs. Members of the draft class had been introduced in two weeks in the past for extra of a quick introduction, and now the official onboarding course of is underway and the day by day on-site work begins. Whereas all the time topic to alter, Could 26 is the primary time media members are scheduled to have entry at apply.

5. McDuffie & McCourty: College of Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie, whom the Chiefs traded up with the Patriots to pick out at No. 21 general, was in comparison with longtime Patriots captain Devin McCourty by a scout when factoring in his mixture of on-field expertise and off-field traits. Whereas the Patriots had been extensively acknowledged to have received excellent value of their commerce right down to No. 29 — gaining third- and fourth-round picks — the commerce might finally be judged in a different way if McDuffie turns that McCourty comparability into actuality.

6. Patriots’ request: One of many notable nuggets from NFL Vice President of Broadcasting Mike North was that the Patriots requested to play their video games out West back-to-back if attainable, which tied into New England finally getting four straight prime-time games. It’s a request different groups made as properly, with North noting Atlanta, San Francisco, Miami and Las Vegas falling into that class.

7. Eyes on Watson: Any potential self-discipline that Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson faces from the NFL bears watching in New England when contemplating the Patriots journey to Cleveland in Week 6. Whereas the Patriots face Arizona later within the season and will not profit from lacking DeAndre Hopkins throughout his six-game suspension, there’s a component of unknown with whether or not they’ll see Watson.

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Booger McFarland discusses how Deshaun Watson matches with the Cleveland Browns after being traded.

8. Kraft’s SBJ honor: A crowd of about 1,000 is anticipated on the Marriott Marquis Occasions Sq. on Wednesday evening, when Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft will be a part of esteemed firm as he’s offered the Sports activities Enterprise Journal Lifetime Achievement Award. Kraft is scheduled to be launched by Meek Mill. The award goes to leaders and pioneers who’ve helped form the dynamic sports activities business, and previous winners embody Dan Rooney, Jerry Jones and Paul Tagliabue — all of whom are within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. SBJ writer and govt editor Abraham Madkour highlighted how Kraft’s background as a fan has formed his Patriots possession tenure.

9. Ekuale’s alternative: Defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale was elevated from the Patriots’ apply squad seven occasions final season and offered some inside pass-rush presence. Little-known story: He thought of a chance to hitch the Payments for the playoffs however elected to remain in New England on the apply squad as an alternative. Ekuale will now vie for a roster spot at a place that features returning starters Davon Godchaux and Lawrence Guy, together with Christian Barmore, Byron Cowart, Carl Davis and sixth-round choose Sam Roberts.

10. Do you know: The Patriots go to the Vikings on Thanksgiving, marking the primary time they’re going to play a sport on the vacation since 2012, and the sixth time general:

• Nov. 22, 1984 — 20-17 loss to Dallas

• Nov. 23, 2000 — 34-9 loss to Detroit (Tom Brady‘s NFL debut)

• Nov. 28, 2002 — 20-12 win in opposition to Detroit

• Nov. 25, 2010 — 45-24 win in opposition to Detroit

• Nov. 22, 2012 — 49-19 win in opposition to N.Y. Jets (Mark Sanchez butt fumble)