Las Vegas Raiders select Dont'e Thornton in 4th round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders have selected former Oregon and Tennessee wide receiver Dont’e Thornton in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons with each program.

Thornton played in 25 games across two seasons for the Ducks, totaling over 500 receiving yards and three touchdowns during the first two seasons of his college career. He would go on to transfer to Tennessee ahead of the 2023 season.

During his first year with the Volunteers, he was only able to play in nine games before being taken out with a season-ending injury. Thornton would return in 2024 for his senior season, however.

As a senior, Thornton would lead the Volunteers in receiving yards, hauling in 26 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns. All were career highs for the Baltimore native despite starting in just four games. He would go on to appear in 12 games for Tennessee in 2024.

Impressively, he led the FBS with 25.4 yards per reception, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given head coach Josh Heupel’s fast-paced, explosive offensive style of play. He finished his college career with an average of 21.9 yards per catch.

Thornton would turn heads at the 2025 NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis as well, running a speedy 4.30 during his 40-yard dash attempt. Some have regarded Thornton as one of the hidden weapons in this draft, as the former Tennessee Volunteers star has some of the best potential at his position.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Dont’e Thornton

Now that Thornton has been drafted, fans may be wondering what to expect from their new wide receiver. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein provided his analysis of the former Volunteers wideout. Zierlein gave him a fourth-round grade during the pre-draft process.

Zierlein: “Long, linear target whose primary function is to take the top off of defenses. Thornton can play through early contact and works past tight man coverage. He’s talented at stacking cornerbacks and tracking the ball when he finds top positioning.

“He can strike over the top or with routes allowing him to catch on the move. His route tree is limited, so two-high safety looks could park him in the garage. He’s average after the catch on short throws but plays as big as he measures, winning contested catches on all three levels. Thornton is a low-volume target with erratic production, but teams looking for vertical juice should have him on their boards.”