In a stable full of pass-catchers with more pedigree than him, from veteran DeVante Parker to rookie second-round pick Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon has been the best receiver in the room during OTAs and minicamp this spring. That's not even to say everyone has been poor; the 2021 seventh-round pick has just shown out that much.
It's certainly a surprise to outside observers, especially after Nixon never came close to sticking with the 53-man roster last fall. But teammate and fellow receiver Nelson Agholor knows how much Nixon has put into this this past off-season. So when asked about Nixon after Wednesday’s practice, Agholor was anything but shocked.
“I'm super excited because I've watched him work so hard. Honestly, I don't think there's anyone who trains as hard as Tre Nixon in my opinion. He's busted his butt since he's gotten here. I have a lot of respect for him because all he does is stay quiet and work hard. So I'm happy you guys get a chance to get a glimpse of his hard work.”
As easy as it is to look good in t-shirts and shorts, at least on this level of football, Nixon's needle is still clearly pointing upward from where it was last year when he struggled to earn playing time in competitive segments and had issues with drops.
Fast forward to 2022, and he's routinely subbing in with Mac Jones during team drills and continues to flash speed, quickness, and reliable hands every time he's on the field.
Nixon has even been Jones's favorite target in the deep part of the field, racking up three catches of 50 or more yards in the first two days of mandatory minicamp.
As the second-year receiver continues his early ascent, second-year rookie Tyquan Thornton has flashed right along with him. The burner has consistently gotten himself open despite still having some work to do on the more technical pieces of his route-running and displayed his unique blend of quickness off the line of scrimmage, blistering speed, and strong hands on a diving deep ball-catch from Brian Hoyer.
Thronton might not be entering the league as NFL-ready as Ja'Marr Chase, but he appears to be picking things up quickly enough, both on offense and as a special teamer, to keep finding his way onto the field.
The key thread between Nixon and Thornton? Work ethic once again, according to Agholor.
“I see a young player that works hard every day," Agholor said of Thornton. "For me, it's just about being honest with him, give him positive feedback, and also give him feedback where I think he can grow. And it's not because I know, it's because I've been through that experience. So I tell him, ‘Hey, these are some of the things that helped me. These are things I should know that if you think about this, you could be a step better at this. … I also watch him do some really nice things, and I encourage him to continue to be himself.”
Not to be outdone, though, Agholor had what would have been the play of the day on Wednesday if not for Nixon's superlative effort -- a bomb down the left sideline that he snagged over rookie Jack Jones while getting a knee down inbounds. After watching the Patriots try and fail often to get the speedy receiver going down the field during spring camp in 2021, that was a welcome sight.
Agholor has also been active in the short and intermediate zones, which could signal some new usage for him this season. On one snap during 7-on-7s, he beat Jack Jones again with a shifty in-breaking route, made the catch over the middle of the field with plenty of separate, then turned Jones around with a cutback and outraced Shaun Wade to the endzone.
On those chunk plays, the Patriots' offense responded with raucous enthusiasm, with Mac Jones often sprinting the length of the field to celebrate with his receivers.
For Agholor, that's the sign of an offense ready to do big things.
"You've got to celebrate everybody's victories. That is being a good teammate and being part of a truly explosive offense," Agholor said. "When guys make plays, we feed off of each other. So you go out, you celebrate, and you get prepared for your turn."
