The Las Vegas Raiders drafted two wide receivers during the 2025 NFL draft, one of which was Tennessee product, Dont’e Thornton.
Thornton was taken in the fourth round of April’s draft, two rounds after Las Vegas took fellow wide receiver and TCU product, Jack Bech. Thornton began his college career at Oregon but transferred to Tennessee in 2023.
In his four years in college (two at Oregon, two at Tennessee), Thornton caught 65 passes for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns. Thornton finished his college career with 26 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns.
How has Dont’e Thornton looked this offseason?
While Thornton was expected to be a project at the next level, he has actually proven to be ahead of schedule.
“Thornton was still thought to need plenty of polish to become a productive pro receiver,” Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal said of Thornton during OTAs. “His college offense wasn’t too sophisticated.”
“At OTAs, however, his footwork at the line of scrimmage appeared more advanced than advertised and his route running looked crisp. He could be further along than suspected,” Bonsignore concluded.
“Dont’e Thornton, the dude we drafted from Tennessee, the big receiver,” Raiders star Maxx Crosby said of Thornton after OTAs. “6-foot-4, another freak, I think he might be 6-foot-5. Runs a 4.30 (in the 40-yard dash)…. It’s crazy because a kid like that, he had success in college, but he hasn’t hit his full potential yet. Seeing him on the field and realizing what he can be, from a player perspective, is like holy s***, this dude could be something serious.”
Thornton has continued turning heads at training camp.
“Dont’e continues to do stuff… He’s made tough catches over the middle. He’s caught the slant routes where he’s getting banged around. And he’s comfortable with it,” head coach Pete Carroll said of the rookie during training camp.
Is Dont’e Thornton a starter?
Thanks to his impressive showing this offseason, Thornton was listed as a starter on the Raiders’ first unofficial depth chart of 2025.
Dont’e Thornton scouting report
From Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Strengths:
- Explosive vertically, with a career average of 21.9 yards per catch.
- Play strength and hand-fighting pull him past physical corners.
- Able to sink hips and gather quickly for comebacks.
- Talent to track, adjust and win contested deep throws.
- True speed to make house calls when catching on the move.
- Works away from coverage and toward the throw for quarterbacks.
Weaknesses:
- Runs a three-route tree with slight variations.
- Value can be snuffed out by deep safety looks.
- Long strides are gradual and rounded on in-breaking routes.
- Separation burst from route breaks is average.
- Lacks decisiveness and wiggle after the catch.
Dont’e Thornton’s combine results
- Height: 6’5
- Weight: 205 lbs
- Arm: 32 1/8”
- Hand: 9 5/8″
- 40-yard dash: 4.3
Dont’e Thornton’s college background
- Played in 51 career games with 12 starts over four collegiate seasons, including two seasons at Oregon (2021-22) before transferring to Tennessee for his final two seasons (2023-24).
- Finished his college career with 65 receptions for 1,426 yards (21.9 avg.) and 10 touchdowns.
- In 2024, recorded 26 receptions for 661 yards (25.4 avg.) and six touchdowns. His 25.4 average yards per reception led the FBS in 2024, while his six receptions of 50+ yards were the most in the FBS.
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