Fans of the New England Patriots likely have their alarm bells go off when they read about a wide receiver prospect named Thornton. Too fresh is the memory of 2022 second-round draft pick Tyquan Thornton, who failed to earn consistent playing time before eventually flaming out and getting cut last November.

Dont’e Thornton Jr. meeting a similar fate could certainly happen given his boom-or-bust profile. And yet, it is not hard to see why the Patriots might still take a swing at him on Day 3 of this year’s draft.

Hard facts

Name: Dont’e Thornton Jr.

Position: Wide receiver

School: Tennessee

Opening day age: 22 (11/30/2002)

Measurements: 6’4 5/8”, 205 lbs, 79” wingspan, 32 1/8” arm length, 9 5/8” hand size, 4.3s 40-yard dash, 33” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 9.85 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: Oregon (2021-22), Tennessee (2023-24)

Career statistics: 47 games (12 starts) | 1,033 offensive snaps, 76 special teams snaps | 96 targets, 65 catches (69.1%), 1,426 yards, 10 TDs | 1 carry, 9 yards | 7 drops (6.9%), 1 fumble

Accolades: Honorable mention All-Big 12 (2023), Academic first-team All-Big 12 (2021, 2022, 2023)

A consensus four-star recruit out of Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Thornton Jr. received scholarship offers from some of the top football programs in the country. He eventually decided to join Oregon, where he spent the first two seasons of his college career. He went on to appear in 25 games with five starts as a Duck, registering 26 catches for 541 yards and 3 touchdowns.

He decided to enter the transfer portal after his sophomore campaign, joining another team that had initially offered him. Thornton Jr. closed out his college campaign in Tennessee, where he added 39 receptions for 885 yards and 7 scores — averaging an impressive 22.7 yards per catch — to his résumé.

Draft profile

Expected round: Day 3 | Consensus big board: No. 157 | Patriots meeting: N/A

Strengths: His combination of size and speed makes Thornton Jr. a rare specimen. He ranks in the 95 percentile among all wide receivers at almost 6-foot-5, and in the 97 percentile with a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. His background in track shows up on the football field too, as he has regularly flown past defensive backs en route to a career average of 21.9 yards per catch. His speed makes him a viable deep-threat option at the next level.

Thornton Jr. is able to maintain his speed throughout his routes, smoothly going to his breaks to successfully stack cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage. He also showed some improvement as a route runner from his time in Oregon to his two seasons in Tennessee; he showed the ability to work back to the ball on comeback routes and use leverage to his advantage.

Additionally, Thornton Jr. matches his size with physicality. He is a willing blocker in the running game and on screen plays, and is not easily controlled in press-man coverage. He also has the frame to shield defenders in contested catch situations. He also is a clean hands catcher, who has shown good tracking skills on deep balls.

Weaknesses: Even though he has all of the physical attributes you would want in a top-flight receiver prospect, Thornton Jr.’s projection never lived up to his pre-college buzz or natural abilities. One reason for that was injuries; in 2024 alone, he hurt his knee, his lower body, and his upper body at various points in the season. He averaged only 22 snaps per game during his college career, and his receiving production is one season’s worth of work for other wideouts.

Part of that also had to do with his usage. At Tennessee in particular, he ran a limited route tree that primarily asked him to attack vertically on go routes, with some slants, bubble screens and curls mixed in. On those latter routes, he needs to refine his footwork to tighten his cuts and. His 33-inch vertical jump at the Combine also disappointed, and is indicative of a player who is less of a jump ball threat despite the build for it.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Thornton Jr. is your classic perimeter receiver, capable of lining up at the X and stretching the field vertically. His speed is his best asset and his presence might force defenses to adjust, thus creating space underneath for others to exploit. In New England, he would get a chance to compete for the starting X-receiver role right away against the likes of Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and Javon Baker, or fill a specialized role aimed at taking the top off of defenses.

What is his growth potential? Thornton Jr.’s future in the NFL will depend on his ability to expand his repertoire and become more than the one-trick pony he mostly was in college. It starts with running more precise routes, and subsequently adding branches to what was a limited route tree. If he can do that without sacrificing his high-end speed and field-stretching skills, he can develop into a true No. 1 receiver.

Does he have positional versatility? Even though he lined up wide on a majority of his college snaps, Thornton Jr. also has some experience in the slot. His overall versatility much like his usage, though, was limited. That said, he might have some theoretical value in the kicking game or even in defensive Hail Mary situations.

Why the Patriots? Even with Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins now on board, and some young talent already in the room, the Patriots’ wide receiver group lacks a true field stretcher capable of commanding a defense’s attention. For all his rawness, Thornton Jr. has the potential to become that type of player at the next level. Investing in him would be a longer-term project, but he also has the tools to come in and contribute right away as a package option.

Why not the Patriots? Are the ghosts of Tyquan Thornton still haunting One Patriot Place? Probably not given that none of the current coaches were around when he was drafted. Nonetheless, there are some similarities between the two players that might ultimately turn New England off on the 22-year-old: his production in college did not match his physical ability, and he has work ahead of him to become NFL-ready in several respects.

One-sentence verdict: The bust potential is obvious with Thornton Jr., but he also offers some tools you simply cannot teach and therefore good value on Day 3 of the draft.

What do you think about Dont’e Thornton Jr. as a potential Patriots target? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.