The New England Patriots made a surprise move when they drafted speedy wideout Tyquan Thornton in the second round, having traded up to land him with the 50th overall pick. The pick was met with some skepticism from fans and media members, especially given the fact New England moved up the board to land him ahead of some other quality receivers, including George Pickens, Alec Pierce, and Skyy Moore, who landed with the Steelers, Colts, and Chiefs, respectively. The trio of wide receivers came off the board with consecutive picks, just two slots after the Patriots grabbed Thornton.

The Patriots are confident in their pick, however, and they're ready to unleash the Baylor product and Mac Jones' newest weapon in 2022. He is blazing fast, evidenced by Thornton recording the fastest 40-yard dash time among any wide receivers at this year's NFL Combine, so he could prove a capable deep threat at the next level. With that in mind, here are some early predictions for Thornton during his rookie year with the Patriots.

3 predictions for Tyquan Thornton's rookie season with Patriots

3. Thornton starts slow but ends strong

While the Patriots addressed the wide receiver position in the offseason by bringing in Devante Parker and Ty Montgomery, they still elected to roll the dice on Thornton with their second-round pick. Clearly, the Patriots wants him to play a big role on the offense, though it may take him a little while to find his feet in New England and develop a rapport with Mac Jones. We're predicting Thornton to have a slow start out the gate in 2022, but make steady improvements as he gets more acclimated in the Patriots' offense. By the end of the year, he should be a key cog in New England's gameplan and have had made a few highlight-reel catches on deep routes.

2. Thornton struggles to climb the depth chart

The Patriots appeared set at wide receiver before drafting Thornton, with Jakobi Meyers, Parker, and Kendrick Bourne in place as their top three targets. That may result in Thornton struggling to get involved during his rookie season, as he'll have to compete against the aforementioned veterans. While Parker has yet to build up a strong rapport with Jones, the two have been working out together in the offseason, which should go a long way towards them getting in sync in the regular season. Meyers and Bourne both had strong seasons alongside Jones last year, so as it stands, Thornton will be the one least familiar with the Patriots' franchise QB. He'll have to work hard to earn targets over his veteran teammates, and may struggle to get his chance at first.

*Watch NFL Games LIVE With fuboTV (Click for free trial)* 

1. Thornton becomes Mac Jones' go-to deep threat

One of Thornton's best attributes is his plus speed, which he will use to his advantage as he looks to make an impact in New England. His 4.28-second 40-yard dash was the best at his position group at the NFL Combine, and he can provide the Patriots with a blazing fast deep threat for Mac Jones to target downfield. In college, Thornton averaged 15.7 yards per catch, showing his ability to make plays down the field. His speed will immediately translate to the pros as he looks to burst past defensive backs to make a catch on a go route. If he and Mac Jones can get on the same page early on, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him emerge as New England's go-to deep threat this season.