The Las Vegas Raiders spent their first two picks addressing offensive needs, but in the third round, they went after possibly the team’s biggest need — cornerback.
With the 68th pick, the Raiders selected Darien Porter, the cornerback out of Iowa State. The team opted for Porter over cornerbacks Shavon Revel Jr., out of East Carolina, and Azareye’h Thomas from Florida State.
With the 98th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they selected offensive guard Caleb Rogers from Texas Tech. With back-to-back picks in the third, the Raiders doubled down on offensive linemen with Charles Grant.
With the sixth pick in the 4th round, the Raiders opted for Dont’e Thornton Jr., wide receiver, Tennessee
Las Vegas Raiders Select WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. In the Fourth Round
HT 6′5″ | WT 205 | AGE 22
Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s ranks Thorton as the 23rd best in the 2025 NFL Draft class, writing, “Thornton lacks versatility, but his gliding speed and ability to find another gear downfield could make him a big-play threat in a specified vertical role. His value as a prospect will vary from team to team.”
Cedric Thornton, a two-year starter at Tennessee, operated primarily as an outside receiver (95.7 percent of his 2024 snaps were outside the numbers) within head coach Josh Heupel’s spread offensive scheme. A former highly-regarded high school recruit, Thornton spent two years at Oregon before transferring to Knoxville. At Tennessee, he became known as a low-volume but high-impact playmaker, leading the FBS with an impressive 25.4 yards per catch in 2024.
Thornton excels as a vertical threat, demonstrating effortless speed that allows him to quickly gain separation from cornerbacks. His long, powerful strides enable him to cover significant ground, often forcing defensive backs into difficult positions. While his deep speed can be used to draw coverage and open up underneath routes, his current route tree is somewhat limited.