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Pete Carroll: Raiders trying to 'force' Dont'e Thornton to play early

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey06/19/25GrantRamey
Dont'e Thornton, Las Vegas Raiders
Dont'e Thornton, Las Vegas Raiders

Dont’e Thornton seems to be making a good first impression with the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN reported during minicamp last week that the former Tennessee Football wide receiver was running with the first team during camp under first-year Raiders coach Pete Carroll. 

The Raiders picked Thornton in the fourth round in the NFL Draft in April, selecting him with the 108th pick after taking wide receiver Jack Bech in the second round at No. 58 overall. 

Thornton got first-team reps for good reason. Carroll said they’re trying to force the rookie wide receiver onto the field. 

“Dont’e and Jack did their stuff,” Carroll said last week, according to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden. “The idea is to force those guys to play early, and to do that, you have to ask them to do things they’re good at.” 

Dont’e Thornton at Tennessee: 39 catches, 885 yards, 7 TDs

Thornton is coming off a career year in his final season at Tennessee, catching 26 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns. He spent two seasons with the Vols after transferring from Oregon. 

Over the last four seasons Thornton had 65 catches for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 26 catches for 541 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons at Oregon, then 39 catches for 885 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons at Tennessee. 

Thornton signed his rookie contract with Raiders on May 11, reportedly valued at $5.25 million over four years. He got a $1,050,896 signing bonus and will earn $840,000 in base pay as a rookie, going up to $1,005,000 in 2026, $1,120,000 in 2027 and $1,235,000 in 2028. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2029. 

Thornton was one of four Tennessee players selected in the NFL Draft in April. Edge rusher James Pearce went at No. 26 overall in the first round to the Atlanta Falcons, followed by defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round at No. 63 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Running back Dylan Sampson was also picked in the fourth round, selected at No. 126 overall by the Cleveland Browns. 

‘The Raiders are expecting Thornton to provide vertical juice to the offense’

Thornton was the 15th wide receiver selected in the NFL Draft, which included three first-rounders, four second-rounders and is third-rounders. 

He ran a 4.3 in the 40 at the NFL Draft Combine in February. He also had a time of 1.51 seconds in the 10-yard split, a 33-inch vertical jump and a 10-6 broad jump. 

“Thornton has a unique blend of size and speed,” McFadden wrote for ESPN last week. “The former Tennessee pass catcher stands at 6-foot-5 and completed the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds at the NFL scouting combine. The Raiders are expecting Thornton to provide vertical juice to the offense.”

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