The Las Vegas Raiders brought in a new leadership tandem of Pete Carroll and John Spytek this offseason. The two have wasted no time completely revamping the team's roster after a disappointing four-win campaign in 2024.
While Geno Smith headlined the team's additions this offseason, the Raiders were also praised for snagging veterans like Raheem Mostert and Elandon Roberts. The selections of Ashton Jeanty, Jack Bech and Darien Porter in the 2025 NFL Draft were lauded as well.
With OTAs now over and mandatory minicamp on the horizon, one Raiders offseason move in particular has stood out. It may not be the most talked-about acquisition, but drafting wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round of this year's draft could pay dividends for the franchise.
Rookie WR Dont'e Thornton is taking Raiders OTAs by storm
Thornton was dubbed the "Al Davis selection" for the Raiders, considering his incredible combination of size and speed. New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly could not stop raving about him when he spoke to the media last week after OTAs.
"I think Dont'e is unique, he's just a hair under 6-foot-5, he ran a 4.3 (second 40-yard dash), there's not a lot of humans on this planet that do that," Kelly said. "If you had to draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that body type. Someone that's got length, a huge catch radius but also has speed."
While offensive coaches are almost always going to hype up their young players, especially to the media, Thornton caught the eyes of veteran wideout Jakobi Meyers as well.
“He’s not just a guy that can run fast. He’s got some real receiver capabilities to him,” Meyers said. “So, I’m excited to kind of help groom him and help push him along and just see what he could do on the field when the pads come on.”
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The Athletic's Tashan Reed noted that Thornton grilled new safety Jeremy Chinn on a corner route for a touchdown during last week's practices. Thornton also drew praise from the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore, who was both complimentary of his performance and included a potentially unique role for Thornton this season.
"At OTAs, however, his footwork at the line of scrimmage appeared more advanced than advertised, and his route running looked crisp. He could be further along than suspected," Bonsignore wrote. "Thornton is also taking reps as a kick returner for the Raiders. His speed and athletic ability could make him a huge factor on special teams."
Most were fixated on second-round pick Jack Bech and the position switch of new wide receiver Tommy Mellott, who was drafted in the sixth round. This caused Thornton to slip between the cracks a bit, but it sounds like all reports are positive for the unsung rookie during Phase 3 of the team's offseason program.
Las Vegas may have nailed this offseason move, and the longer it can fly under the radar, the better.