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One Las Vegas Raiders’ rookie has garnered a ton of attention this offseason, and for all the right reasons.
The Las Vegas Raiders made waves during the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. with the 108th overall pick. The former Tennessee standout didn’t just check boxes; he shattered them.
At nearly 6’5″ with a blazing 4.30-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Thornton became the tallest player since 2003 to run that fast. That kind of athletic profile is extremely rare, and it immediately drew the attention of the Raiders owner Mark Davis, who couldn’t help but compare it to the type of selection his legendary father, Al Davis, would’ve made.
“Mark [Davis] joked that was the Al Davis pick of the draft,” General Manager John Spytek said after drafting Thornton. “The height, weight, speed, raw traits, athleticism, speed, and I think it’s just focusing on what he can do and what he can be. …You watch his target tape, I think it’s pretty impressive. And we think he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.”
Dont’e Thornton Jr. Brings Star Potential to the Raiders
GettyPraise has been pouring in for Las Vegas Raiders’ rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.
The Raiders are banking on that upside. Thornton exploded for 661 yards and six touchdowns on just 26 receptions during his senior year at Tennessee, leading the FBS in yards per reception (25.4!). That explosive output is precisely what the new regime is hoping to integrate into their retooled offense.
“I think Dont’e is unique in terms of he’s just a hair under 6-5 and he ran 4.3,” said offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. “There’s not a lot of humans on this planet that do that. And I think if you had to draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that type of body type, someone that’s got length, someone that’s got a huge catch radius, but also has speed. Sometimes you can get a big guy like that, but he can’t really run, so they can stay with him. So, you add that speed element to him, his ability to sink his hips, his ability to get in and out of cuts.” Sounds like the Raiders drafted a unicorn at wide receiver by the way the organization has described Thornton this offseason.
With a new quarterback in Geno Smith and the arrival of fifth overall pick Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders are building a foundation around versatility and explosion. Play-action looks could create opportunities for Thornton to stretch the field and beat defenders over the top. His speed forces defenses to respect the deep ball, while his size makes him a mismatch against smaller corners in the red zone and on intermediate routes.
Jakobi Meyers on Thornton Jr.
With Jakobi Meyers taking the reins as the veteran of the wideout room after the departure of Davante Adams last season, he had some high praise for Thornton despite being a rookie.
“I like him a lot, actually. I didn’t know much about him coming out. But now that he’s here, just seeing the different parts of his game, like, he’s not just a guy that can run fast. He has some real receiver capabilities. I’m excited to help him grow and push him along and just see what he can do on the field when the pads come on.”
Thornton still has a lot to prove, but earning the respect of a trusted vet like Meyers is an early sign that he’s on the right path. With his rare blend of size, speed, and potential, the rookie wideout is in an ideal position to grow into a key contributor for the Raiders.
As training camp approaches and the intensity ramps up, all eyes will be on Thornton to see if he can turn offseason flashes into consistent production when it matters most.
Isaac Zuniga is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. He also covers the Chicago Bears for LastWordOnSports.com. More about Isaac Zuniga
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