Dont’e Thornton Jr. earns huge responsibility in Week One

He has yet to play a regular season snap, but fourth-round rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. already looks like one of the draft’s big steals.

Coming out of Tennessee, Thornton had the combination of size and athleticism that made him tantalizing to scouts, but his lack of college production and route-running prowess were sticking points. However, the Las Vegas Raiders took a shot on him, and were rewarded with how far along he was. Thornton consistently stood out throughout preseason and training camp, putting himself in position to land a big role early on offense.

Now, Thornton has earned himself a role earlier than anticipated.

Thornton will be a starter against the New England Patriots.

On the unofficial depth chart in Week One for the Raiders, Thornton was announced as a starting receiver alongside Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker.

Typically, unofficial depth charts do not mean much. Rookies tend to slot much lower than they typically end up, such as TreVeyon Henderson of the New England Patriots or Bill Croskey-Merritt for the Washington Commanders. However, when someone like Thornton Jr. is named as a starter off the bat, that changes the complexion dramatically.

Even more surprising is who Thornton beat to keep the spot.

The Raiders could have easily slotted in second-round receiver Jack Bech into the starting spot instead, giving Thornton the chance to get more seasoning. However, choosing not to do that is a clear indication of just how high the Raiders are on Thornton moving forward.

A strong start to his career against the New England Patriots on Sunday would go a long way to ensuring Thornton’s spot for a long time to come.