When GM Ryan Poles took over the Chicago Bears, he had one goal he set forth immediately on the offensive side of the ball. He wanted to get faster. Darnell Mooney is a good start at wide receiver, but defenses can contain one fast option in the passing game. It becomes far more difficult with two, three, or four. It would appear Poles is looking to follow the model he saw have so much success in Kansas City.
The latest update on the NFL draft trail furthers this scenario. According to draft insider Josh Norris of Underdog Network, the Bears held a visit with Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. For those who don’t know, Thornton turned lots of heads at the scouting combine when he ran a blistering 4.28 in the 40-yard dash. He was easily one of the fastest players at the event. Not a huge surprise since he was also a track star in high school.
Baylor WR Tyquan Thornton is visiting the #Bears today pic.twitter.com/v6AbJqHj2f
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) April 11, 2022
He isn’t just a timed sensation, either.
People who watch Thornton on tape can easily see the speed. He can flat-out fly. As a senior, he averaged 15.3 yards per reception, stacking up 948 yards on 62 catches with ten touchdowns. What makes it even better is he’s not the classic speedy receiver that suffers from size issues. Thorton is 6’2, so he has a solid catch radius as well. It’s something the Bears need more of, with most of their current options failing to top 5’11.
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We keep talking about size-speed WRs for the #Bears, but Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton isn’t mentioned enough.
6-2 weapon with long arms and 4.28 speed who’s a dangerous deep threat. If Poles doubles down on WRs, Thornton is a Getsy dream on Day 3. pic.twitter.com/BP81U8bz8b
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 1, 2022
Damn, Tyquan Thornton ran until it was night time pic.twitter.com/JFAb0Vt3pt
— LandGrant Gauntlet (@the_LGG) October 19, 2019
40 time champion Tyquan Thornton (bottom of the screen) blocking a DB out of bounds pic.twitter.com/rHEELT6kCq
— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) March 24, 2022
Don’t be fooled. Thornton isn’t a one-trick pony. His game isn’t about running fast. That alone wouldn’t make him as dangerous as he was. His route-running is limited but capable of expanding with more work. He shows the footwork and natural body control to create instant separation. His hands are strong enough to make difficult catches seem routine. He’s also tougher than he looks, willing to throw his body around as a blocker.
Chicago Bears must have a plan for Thornton.
He is not the type of guy that will step in immediately and be that game-changing threat. He’s more likely that player with a specific package of plays designed for him. A smart coach will devise ways to get the ball in his hands with space to run. Considering his excellent deep-passing skills, a quarterback like Justin Fields would be perfect. Last but not least, new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is familiar with working with receivers of his type. Marques Valdez-Scantling is a great example from Green Bay.
Imagining a combo of Thornton and Mooney is exciting. Both can take the top off a defense in one play. Both are dangerous after the catch as well. It depends on whether the Chicago Bears can get over his body type. Thornton is only 181 lbs, which is painfully light for a receiver of his height. His hands are also relatively small at 8 1/4 inches. That could make it difficult for him to make contested catches—something he didn’t have to deal with much at Baylor.
This is why the receiver is widely viewed as a Day 3 pick.
Teams aren’t ready to believe he’s much more than somebody who will be good for a big play once or twice per game. That is why the Bears are meeting with him. They need to figure out what makes him tick. How passionate is he about football? Does he want to get better? If this is merely an easy way to make money for him, he won’t find a spot in Chicago.
