Dont’e Thornton is the hype generator in Las Vegas with the regular season opener on Sunday for the Raiders against the New England Patriots.
The rookie wide receiver has everyone fired up.
That includes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. The mastermind had this to say about Thornton earlier this week:
“Pete (Carroll) was the guy that fell in love with him on tape,” Kelly said. “We felt the same thing. There aren’t many people that tall and long that are that fast. I’ve seen him embrace every day. I don’t think he was thinking about starting… You saw him grow on a daily basis.”
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Thornton may not have been thinking about starting, but he will start. He’s listed as a first-string wideout with Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, ahead of fellow rookie Jack Bech.
As far as hype, it’s warranted: Thornton is only the third WR ever to run a 40-yard dash in the 4.3-second window and measure 6-foot-5, along with all-time greats Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss.
The Raiders drafted Thornton in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft, at No. 108 overall.
He started his college career at Oregon, but he broke out once he transferred to Tennessee. In 2024, he had 26 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns, which works out to 25.4 yards per catch.
Then at the NFL Combine, Thornton ran a 4.30-second 40-yard dash while also measuring 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. He’s a physical beast
This summer, Thornton was fantastic, and his usage in the preseason finale showed off the Raiders’ belief in him.
Thornton was out there with the first-team offense, and down near the end zone, starting QB Geno Smith looked Thornton’s way for a back-shoulder jump ball near the front pylon.
The rookie came down with the pass for a touchdown.
Now, Thornton will get a chance to do that in the regular season. And if his physical traits combine with the belief of those around him, he could do some great things.
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