Despite being in clear need of a rebuild, the Las Vegas Raiders tried their luck at competing during the 2025 NFL season. When it became clear that they weren't capable of doing so, they remained hard-headed and failed to prioritize getting their rookies on the field throughout the season.
The lack of playing time for the rookie class has been concerning; however, several players have shown flashes when given an opportunity to get on the field. Ashton Jeanty looks like a star in the making, and Jack Bech has done the most with his limited opportunities.
Darien Porter also looks like a long-term piece at cornerback, and players like Tonka Hemingway, Dont'e Thornton Jr., Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant have all played well when given a chance. Thornton Jr. recently praised his fellow rookies and believes they'll help turn things around.
Dont'e Thornton Jr. believes Raiders' rookies can turn things around
The Raiders drafted 11 players in the 2025 NFL Draft. While Tommy Mellott was waived and Cam Miller spent the entire season on the practice squad before being stunningly poached by the Miami Dolphins, the remaining nine players have been on the active roster all year.
The fact that nine rookies made the Week 1 roster appeared inspiring, and Raider Nation had every reason to believe that they would have an opportunity to contribute right away, considering Las Vegas spent very little on veteran free agents in the offseason.
That was not the case, however. But, as the team's poor season has dragged on, several players have shone with an increase in their playing time in recent weeks. Thornton Jr. highlighted that improvement in an evaluation of the class's production.
"I feel good about how they're performing. Every time Jack (Bech) steps on the field, he makes a play. Last game he played in, I think he had three or four catches, and they were some big plays. (Darien Porter) is out there making a lot of plays. Caleb (Rogers) is making a lot of plays. Tonka (Hemingway), he got a sack today," Thornton Jr. said. "Just seeing the young guys, with me being a young guy myself, knowing that we're all out here working right now in our first year, and it means that it's only going to get better in the years to come. So, I'm not worried about how things look. We're definitely going to make things turn around, for sure."
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Aside from Jeanty, the Raiders' rookie class has received anywhere from inconsistent playing time to none at all. This has been much to the dismay of a fan base that has wanted to see what the young players can do with an increased role.
With the team out of postseason contention for some time, the coaching staff would have been wise to evaluate John Spytek's first draft class to gain a better understanding of the team's needs ahead of the offseason and to see what they have in their first and second-year players.
Instead, veterans have continued to dominate the playing time on both sides of the ball. Still, the flashes that the young group has shown should be encouraging to a fanbase that understands the team needs to rebuild.
Las Vegas is currently projected to have ten picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including the first overall selection, which would give Spytek yet another chance to add to the roster. With a coach who hopefully understands the assignment, the Raiders can have a great young core in the coming years.
If several players from last year's class can prove that their late-season rise in production was not a fluke, and next year's class has some immediate contributors, the Raiders could be in much better shape next year. It's nice to know that Thornton Jr. still believes that, despite a rough rookie year.