The Facts: The Patriots select Baylor receiver Thorton with the 50th pick overall.

Diehards Line: The Patriots sent picks 54 and 158 to the Chiefs to select Thorton. According to NFL.com, there's a lot to like about Thornton's game, including his instincts, long speed and ability to create separation on the move. He's a vertical threat with the speed and poise to win deep and has an excellent feel for maintaining spacing when working against zone coverage. He's skinny and linear, which is a bad combination in defeating strong press-man corners on the next level. The poise and catch radius will work in his favor, but the success rate on contested catches will be lower than teams like, based upon his history and physical traits. Wideouts with his size profile have struggled mightily to succeed in the league, but Thornton's speed and talent intrigue the Patriots.