Patriots 2022 NFL redraft: New England lands elite WR in second round
The Patriots select wide receiver George Pickens over wideout Tyquan Thornton in this 2022 NFL redraft.
The New England Patriots had two future 1,000-yard wide receivers on the board when they went up to select with the No. 50 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, they did not select either of those two receivers.
Instead, New England picked wide receiver Tyquan Thornton at No. 50 overall. The 25-year-old spent three seasons with the Patriots from 2022-24, prior to playing for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.
Thornton’s most productive season with the Patriots came as a rookie, when he went for 247 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2022. He did not amass more than 91 yards in either of the following two seasons. Thornton did record a career-high 438 yards in 2025 with the Chiefs.
However, the Patriots electing to pass on the other options available in the second round of that year’s draft is worth lamentation. New selection: WR George Pickens (Dallas Cowboys) No. 52 overall pick in 2022 - Pittsburgh Steelers George Pickens was available for the Patriots to take in the second round in 2022.