The Raiders spent real draft capital on wide receivers in 2025, and Dont’e Thornton Jr. was the one who came in with the loudest upside. Las Vegas took Jack Bech in the second round, Thornton in Round 4 and Tommy Mellott in the sixth, but it was Thornton’s blend of size and speed that made him the most intriguing of the group.
At 6-foot-5 with 4.30 speed, Thornton looked like the kind of receiver who could stress a defense right away. He also arrived with a college résumé that hinted at big-play juice, including three touchdowns over 70 yards in his final season at Tennessee. The problem was always going to be the same one that followed him into the league: he needed more polish than the others.
His route tree at Tennessee was limited, and the path from projection to production was never going to be simple. Even so, the Raiders put him in the starting lineup early because of the upside and because he was willing to do the dirty work as a blocker in the run game.
That early opportunity did not turn into a steady rookie year. Thornton flashed in the preseason and again after Week 1, and plenty of Raider Nation thought he might be a steal.
Instead, his role shrank as the season went on. His production dipped, his snap share dropped, and the Raiders eventually brought in veteran Tyler Lockett mid-season to help cover for the lack of impact from Thornton.
He finished with 10 catches for 135 yards and played 253 passing snaps as a rookie.
The biggest concern is that Thornton still hasn’t consistently played to his size on the outside. At 6-foot-5, he’s the kind of receiver who should be able to turn a slightly off target throw into a contested catch. That hasn’t shown up often enough yet.
There were moments that summed up the frustration. Against the Indianapolis Colts, Thornton won his one-on-one on the outside and had a shot at a big play, but he couldn’t finish the grab on a ball from Geno Smith that was close enough for a receiver his size to make something happen.
He did show growth as a route runner during his first season, but the drops became a problem later in the year. On Thursday Night Football against the Broncos in Week 10, the Raiders used a double-go concept with a double move to create separation, and Thornton sold the curl beautifully. He got the corner to bite and was wide open downfield, but the play ended with a costly drop on a throw that could have turned into a score and maybe an upset.
Even when he did separate, the protection often broke down around him. Against the Chiefs, Thornton ran a corner route from a condensed set on fourth down and did a good job selling the post to get free for a huge play. But Jackson Powers-Johnson was beaten immediately by Chris Jones, Smith didn’t have time to deliver a catchable ball, and the chance disappeared.
The Raiders added Jalen Nailor and Malik Benson this offseason, which only makes the climb steeper for Thornton if the ball skills don’t come along. If he doesn’t show clear progress in camp, he could slide further down the depth chart before the season even starts.
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