Former Tennessee Vols WR Dont'e Thornton is already delivering on the promise he made before he was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders
When Tennessee Vols wide receiver Dont'e Thornton was preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, there was one thing he specifically wanted teams to know about him. Thornton wanted to prove to teams that he's capable of running pro-style routes, despite not being asked to run those kinds of routes during his time at Tennessee. "Just […]
When Tennessee Vols wide receiver Dont'e Thornton was preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, there was one thing he specifically wanted teams to know about him.
Thornton wanted to prove to teams that he's capable of running pro-style routes, despite not being asked to run those kinds of routes during his time at Tennessee.
"Just showing all the teams that I'm able to run pro style routes," said Thornton when asked what he wanted to accomplish at Tennessee's Pro Day earlier this winter.
"That was mostly every team's main talking point was asking with the offense that we run here at Tennessee if I'm able to run those pro style routes," added Thornton when asked about feedback from NFL teams about his ability to run pro style routes. "I had to be very intentional, playing two seasons here at Tennessee, we don't have the same wide route tree that most pro style offenses have."
Thornton made similar comments after he was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round of the draft.
"I'd say just my intermediate and medium route running," said Thornton after he was drafted when asked what he wants to improve on. "With my past two years (at Tennessee), I haven't really had the opportunity to really display that as much. So just getting back into the flow of doing that. I'd say that was the No. 1 thing everybody was saying."
Thornton is in the very early stages of his NFL career, but he's already showing at OTAs that he's more than capable of running pro-style routes.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore noted this week that Thornton's route running has looked "crisp" at OTAs.
"Thornton was still thought to need plenty of polish to become a productive pro receiver," wrote Bonsignore. "His college offense wasn’t too sophisticated. 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."
Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers added to the praise for Thornton, pointing out that the former Vol has "real receiver capabilities".
A lot of draft analysts thought Thornton would be a "project" in the NFL, but he may be ready to contribute sooner than expected.
