Jackson Powers-Johnson had an impressive rookie year for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and is now looking forward to his sophomore campaign.
The Oregon product is embracing the changes, such as moving to center full-time and having a new coaching staff. Powers-Johnson impressed at both guard and center in 2024, but with a new staff, the former second-round pick is going to center.
Also with that new coaching staff has come a lot of new faces, and some of those have already caught Powers-Johnson’s eye.
One player who has been particularly impressive this summer, according to Powers-Johnson, is rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton.
Thornton was a fourth-round pick of the Raiders out of Tennessee, and will hopefully be a nice downfield option for new quarterback Geno Smith.
In a recent appearance on “The Rush with Maxx Crosby” podcast, Powers-Johnson was asked if any rookies have “stepped it up” so far.
“Dont’e Thornton is a huge one. I’ve known Dont’e for a long time and he’s attacking it like a pro. He’s getting reps in with the big boys and he’s not even flinching,” said Powers-Johnson. “He’s knowing what to do and he’s doing it at a high level.”
Powers-Johnson isn’t the only one who has heaped praise on Thornton, as multiple beat writers have named the Tennessee product as a standout during offseason practices.
Powers-Johnson and Thornton spent two years together at Oregon before Thornton transferred to Tennessee, so there is already some familiarity there.
Raiders fans will certainly love to hear this praise, though. The team’s receivers room isn’t the deepest on paper, so it will be extremely helpful if a player like Thornton becomes a reliable target immediately.
In 2024, Thornton caught 26 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns for the Volunteers. Thornton led all FBS receivers with 25.4 yards per reception, showcasing his ability to be a lethal downfield weapon.
Overall, Thornton caught 65 passes for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns in his college career. The receiver spent two seasons at Oregon and two at Tennessee.
In Las Vegas, Thornton is vying for a starting role against fellow rookie Jack Bech and third-year wideout Tre Tucker. Jakobi Meyers figures to be the only receiver who’s locked in to a starting role at the moment.
