Rams 2022 Draft Prospect Profile: Tyquan Thornton (WR, Baylor)

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Rams 2022 Draft Prospect Profile: Tyquan Thornton (WR, Baylor)


Skyler Carlin
April 13, 2022 5:35 am PT



The Los Angeles Rams will enter the 2022 NFL draft with eight total draft picks. Given the team’s aggressive nature to acquire proven talent instead of rolling the dice on young prospects in the early rounds, the Rams won’t make their first selection until the third round at pick No. 104.

I wouldn’t consider the wide receiver position a massive need for Los Angeles, but the team got a glimpse at how important it is to have depth at the position just this past season. And with Robert Woods gone, the Rams may want to find someone to work alongside Allen Robinson, Cooper Kupp, and Van Jefferson.

We know that Sean McVay loves to take at least one skill position player in every draft, so there’s a possibility the team adds a wideout later this month. So with that in mind, the first wide receiver prospect that I’ll be taking a look at ahead of the 2022 NFL draft is Tyquan Thornton out of Baylor.

Background
Thornton was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, where he attended Booker T. Washington High in Florida. Instead of staying close to home and attending Miami (FL) in college, Thornton elected to commit to Baylor.

During his time at Baylor, Thornton had an inconsistent role on the team until 2021. Thornton would accumulate 1,294 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 81 receptions in his first three years at Baylor. But in his senior season, Thornton recorded 62 catches, 948 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns.

At the NFL scouting combine, Thornton would put on a show, running a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash (best among WR) and recording a 36.5-inch vertical jump (9th among WR). After not conducting the three-cone drill or the 20-yard shuttle at the scouting combine, he did those drills at Baylor’s Pro Day, producing a 7.25 three-cone and a 4.39 20-yard shuttle (both would’ve been 10th among WR).

How he fits the Rams
Thornton doesn’t have a ton of production coming into the NFL, but it’s not due to a lack of talent. Baylor has struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position since Robert Griffin III and it’s affected the wide receiver prospects that have come through in recent years.

Despite the shaky quarterback play at Baylor, Thornton flashed his potential as a speedy deep threat at the next level. Thornton showed that he has no trouble racing past defenders, getting himself open quite often with just his speed.

McVay has shown that he loves to have a vertical threat in the offense, (as evidenced by the Tutu Atwell selection last year, though, it has yet to pan out), and with Odell Beckham Jr. still undecided in free agency, the Rams could target someone like Thornton to give Matthew Stafford another weapon.


Draft projection
In most mock drafts, Thornton is projected to be selected in the fourth round. There are mock drafts where he goes in the third or the fifth, but the consensus seems to be the fourth round as this year’s class appears to be another formidable group.

Thornton undoubtedly improved his draft stock with his performance at the scouting combine, which could cause a team to draft him earlier than expected. Speed is lethal in the NFL and everyone is searching for the next Tyreek Hill, something that is far easier said than done.

If the Rams want to add Thornton to their already-dynamic offense, they’ll likely need to use one of their first two picks in the draft (pick No. 104 or No. 142) on him. Once again, the wide receiver position isn’t a glaring need for the Rams, but we all know McVay loves to draft skill players.