Raiders 2025: Dont’e Thornton Jr. a prototypical throwback

Rookie wide receiver has the size and speed offensive coordinator Chip Kelly must take advantage of

How does a wide receiver prospect who stands nearly 6-foot-5 and runs a 4.3-flat 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine not get taken until the fourth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft?

When said prospect is viewed as a one-trick pony.

Despite measuring in at 6-foot-4 5/8 inches (nearly 6-foot-5) and 205 pounds and running a blazing 40, Tennessee wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. didn’t hear his name called until Day 3 of the draft. But he went to a team where a prospect of his nature would’ve been a much higher selection in eras past: The Las Vegas Raiders.

By The Numbers:
Don’te Thorton Jr., Wide Receiver, Tennessee

• 2024: 13 games, 26 receptions, 661 yards (25.4 yards per catch average), 6 touchdowns
• Career (2021-24): 47 total games (25 at Oregon, 22 at Tennessee), 65 receptions, 1,426 yards (21.9 yards per catch average, 10 touchdowns; 2 carries, 6 yards, 0 touchdowns

At his size and speed, Thornton is a prototypical throwback to a point in history where those two attributes were the primary job requirements to sport Silver & Black. So much so that current Raiders owner Mark Davis quipped the selection was the “Al Davis” pick.

“Yeah, Mark joked that was the Al Davis pick of this draft, 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,” Las Vegas general manager John Spytek said of Thornton during a post draft press conference. “I mean, he’s a 4.3, low 4.3 guy. He’s 6’4”-plus 200-something pounds, big-time five-star recruit, goes to Oregon, then goes to Tennessee. You watch his target tape, I think it’s pretty impressive. And we think he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet. We think he can still refine and improve under our coaches, but he definitely has physical traits that are outstanding.”

While Thornton is viewed as single-skilled specialist coming out of Tennessee, that singular trick is one hell of a bang. He averaged a nation-leading 25.4 yards per catch in his final season for the Volunteers hauling in 26 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns. It was a low-volume but electrifying senior season at Tennessee.

It’s Thornton’s “scare you death” jets that offensive coordinator Chip Kelly must take advantage of — in any shape or way possible.

Go-Go Gadget Speed

Whether it was your standard fly/go routes or deep posts, Thornton’s instant acceleration and breakaway speed were ever present this past season. The 2024 campaign was a season of career-high marks as Thornton was targeted 34 times with his production all being his collegiate career best.

Thornton spent his first two years as an Oregon Duck before transferring and becoming a Tennessee Volunteer from 2023-24.

As a field stretcher who tests a defense’s athletic ability and discipline, Thornton is the type of receiving option the Raiders sorely missed. He’s a unique blend of freakish physical profile and athleticism that many defensive backs can’t run with. Whether it’s sending him deep, using him on jet sweeps/end arounds, screens or even handing him the rock similar to how speedster Cordarrelle Patterson is used, Las Vegas should get the ball in Thornton’s hands as much as possible to see what he can do.

Las Vegas lacked legitimate speed at the wide receiver position with third-year wideout Tre Tucker being the lone burner in the group last season who got consistent play. Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll addressed this by selecting Thornton with the 108th overall pick and also bringing Montana State’s Tommy Mellott with the 213th overall pick in the sixth round.

Mellott, a collegiate quarterback converting to wide receiver, is a lot smaller than his draft classmate at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, but clocked in a 4.39 40-yard dash time at Montana State’s pro day.

Route Refinement

A really tall James Jett is Thorton’s profile as he enters the NFL. This is due to the wideout’s lack of a true route tree.

He’s a tall receiver and it’s that high-cut nature which pigeon holes his offensive impact. Yes, Kelly and the Raiders should without a doubt test defenses by sending Thornton on the routes he runs well: Fly/Go, deep corners and posts.

But to make Thornton less predictable and more of a complete package, he’ll need to spend time refining his route-running ability with wide receiver’s coach Chris Betty to truly become a versatile option and not a one-trick pony in Kelly’s offense.

The instant acceleration is present on routes where Thornton can use his long legs to stride, but if he is able to develop short-area quickness and get in and out of breaks with little wasted movement, a 6-foot-5 target on slants, comebacks, curls, digs, and out routes is an enticing option for starting quarterback Geno Smith.

Temper Year 1 expectations for Thornton as he’s got plenty to prove in terms of the route tree and beating NFL-caliber press coverage. But if the defense makes a mistake, it’ll be quite costly.

Contested Catches

That all said, Kelly is likely concocting ways he can use Thornton’s 6-foot-5 frame and speed to be a jump-ball/contested catch nightmare. While the wide receiver’s collegiate production/targets were erratic, the Raiders play caller can take advantage of Thorton’s height and long arms from the jump.

Even when collegiate defensive backs were able to keep up with Thornton downfield, the receiver’s ability to out jump and dominate at the catch point is extremely difficult to defend.

While Thornton will meet pro defenders who are just as fast — if not faster — not many have the physical attributes combined with the mental game to keep up, look back to find the ball, and make a play on it against a very tall target.