Vols wide receiver Dont'e Thornton drafted by the Raiders in 4th round pick
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Another Tennessee Vol is headed to the NFL after Dont'e Thornton Jr. was picked up by the Last Vegas Raiders in the 4th round of the NFL Draft.
On Saturday, Thornton was selected as the 6th pick of the round and the 108th pick overall. Coming off his senior year with the Vols, Thornton led the nation in the average yards per catch and had six 50-plus-yard catches.
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Out of high school, Thornton was ranked as a four-star recruit and played two years for Oregon before enrolling in Tennessee as a junior. Tennessee described him as a 'speedy transfer wide receiver with dynamic athletic ability and big play potential.'
During his time at Tennessee, Thornton caught 39 passes that earned the team 885 yards and seven touchdowns. His senior season, he was also selected to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl.
NFL Draft Preview: Quarterbacks and defensive standouts will go early
With Thornton's pick, he joins James Pearce Jr., who was a first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons, and defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott who was picked 63rd overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.
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