Speed burners: The Patriots continue to select quick players at the NFL Draft

On Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Patriots goal was simple — add speed. A lot of it.

That’s what the team accomplished on Friday by drafting Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton in the second round, pick No. 50, and then Houston cornerback Marcus Jones in the third round with pick No. 85.

Thornton was the fastest receiver in this draft, running a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Jones earned the 2021 Paul Hornung Award as college football's most versatile player after being named an All-American as both a cornerback and returner.

Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh said the Patriots wanted to get more speed on their roster, and it was mission accomplished.

“You’ve got to consider what the player does and how the player is going to help you," Groh said. "You want to get tougher? You better get tough guys. You want to get faster? You better get fast guys. And I don’t know how many guys out there are faster than Tyquan, so we’re really excited to add him and his explosive playmaking. He is fast.

"To be able to get some toughness and athleticism on the first night [with Cole Strange] and I think these other two guys — Tyquon and Marcus Jones — they’re certainly tough guys, too, but at their positions, the skill positions, they are fast.”

"Really excited to have two picks here tonight and add speed in all three phases [offense, defense and special teams]."

Tyquan Thornton

Thornton, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall, was an elite high school sprinter who had a track and field scholarship offer from LSU. Instead, he chose football. At Baylor, Thornton became an elite receiver. Last season, he finished with 62 receptions, 948 yards and 10 touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors.

With the NFL getting faster, the Patriots join the race with the selection of Thornton. This offseason, the Miami Dolphins added Tyreek Hill to join Jaylen Waddle. The Patriots responded by drafting Thornton in the hopes of finally developing their own wide receiver.

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The history here for the Pats isn’t kind. Thornton is the first receiver drafted in the first two rounds since N'Keal Harry (32nd overall in 2019). That draft saw the Patriots bypass star receivers such as Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf and Terry McLaurin in favor of Harry, who has struggled.

The last time the Patriots drafted a receiver in the second round, it was Aaron Dobson, who was selected ahead of Keenan Allen. Other Round 2 receivers in the era of head coach Bill Belichick were Chad Jackson (2006), Bethel Johnson (2003) and Deion Branch (2002).

Thornton said he models his game after one of the best in the NFL.

"I try to model my game after Davante Adams," he said . "I just love how he creates separation at the top of the route and at the line of scrimmage as well. I try to mimic that a little bit with my releases and route running as well — while adding speed to it."

Day 1 Recap: Patriots draft Chattanooga G Cole Strange in the NFL 2022 Draft 1st round

Thornton will join a veteran-laden receiver group in New England with DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Harry, Kristian Wilkerson, Tre Nixon and Malcolm Perry. With Agholor in the last year of his contract, Thornton could be the Patriots' future starter at outside receiver.

Marcus Jones

Jones looks like a 5-foot-8 prototypical slot cornerback but he was much more than that in college.

Last season, he played inside and outside cornerback and finished with 18 pass breakups and five interceptions. Jones added two punt-return touchdowns and two kickoff-return touchdowns. As a returner, Jones tied the NCAA record with nine career return touchdowns — six kickoff returns and three punt returns.

As a receiver, he caught 10 passes for 109 yards with a touchdown. He actually scored touchdowns in four different ways — interception return, reception, kickoff return and punt return.

“In high school, I played a lot of positions — wherever they wanted me at,” Jones said. “Over time, whenever I played, coaches would ask me what I would be down for and however I can help the team is what I was always down for. Whether coach wanted me to be offense, I’ll do that to help the team, or defense, I’ll do that to help the team.”

Jones started his career at Troy University, where he earned All-America honors as a true freshman as a kickoff returner. He transferred to Houston in 2019 and has played there for the past two seasons. Jones will add depth to the cornerback position and could back up slot cornerback Jonathan Jones. The Pats also lost All-Pro punt returner Gunner Olszewski, who signed with Pittsburgh.

Jack Jones

After adding Marcus Jones in Round 3, the team added another prospect by selecting Arizona State cornerback Jack Jones with the 121st pick in the fourth round on Saturday. Jones is a talented outside cornerback who had 39 pass breakups and 10 interceptions in his collegiate career. He did have off-field trouble, however, which is why he was expected to fall in this year's NFL Draft.

Jones initially went to USC and, as a sophomore in 2017, he led the Trojans with four interceptions. He was ruled academically ineligible that year, however, and then was arrested after breaking into a restaurant. Jones was dismissed from the school as he pleaded guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor charge of commercial burglary. That led Jones to Moorpark College, where he got his grades back on track. He then enrolled at Arizona State.

With their second fourth-round pick, the Patriots selected South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong with the 127th pick. Strong is one of the fastest backs in this draft after running a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine. He had an outstanding career in South Dakota, where he was a two-time captain and ran for 4,527 yards in four years. Strong earned All-America honors all four years that he was in college. He also caught 62 passes for 581 yards and three touchdowns.

Strong ran for 1,686 yards with 18 touchdowns last season. He averaged 7.0 yards per carry and finished his collegiate career averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

Bailey Zappe

Later in the fourth round, the Patriots selected Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe with pick No. 137. Last season, Zappe threw for 5,967 yards with 62 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He spent his first four seasons at Houston Baptist before transferring to Western Kentucky. He’s a bit undersized at 6 feet tall and 215 pounds but set FBS single-season records in passing yards and passing touchdowns last season. He profiles as a long-term NFL backup and spot starter.

More NFL Draft: Patriots select Cole Strange, offensive lineman from Chattanooga, with first-round draft pick

This move shouldn’t be looked at as a slight to second-year quarterback Mac Jones. Instead, this is about building depth at the most important position. Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer will turn 37 this season and Jarrett Stidham enters 2022 in the final year of his contract, so the Pats don't have much long-term depth. By adding Zappe, it’s more than likely that Stidham’s days in Foxboro are numbered.

The Patriots had two more picks on Saturday in Round 6 and one in Round 7.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: New England Patriots continue to select players on Day 2 of the NFL Draft