Raiders WR Thornton's Intriguing Physical Profile

The Las Vegas Raiders added Tennessee wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Thornton, who spent time at Oregon before transferring to the Volunteers, caught 65 passes for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns in his collegiate career. The Raiders needed wide receiver help, and they found it in Thornton. 

Beyond his solid production, Thornton’s physical profile is about as rare as it gets among receiver prospects in this class. He stands at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds and ran a 4.30 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

It is rare for athletes of Thornton’s size to be able to move like he does. He is not just a straight-line receiver, either, as his route tree is much more defined than that. 

The Raiders hired Chip Kelly as their offensive coordinator after he led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship victory. 

Kelly worked with plenty of talented receivers in Columbus, and he could work his magic with Thornton, putting him in advantageous positions that will allow him to thrive as an offensive player at this level. 

Thornton is raw, as evidenced by his lack of high-end production. He had a successful career, but there is still more for the Raiders to unlock due to his unique physical traits. 

Las Vegas does not have the league’s best wide receiver talent. General Manager John Spytek knew that, which is why he went out and got two (and a half, depending on where Tommy Mellott ends up) in this draft class.