Dont'e Thornton Jr. WR Tennessee | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Dont'e Thornton Jr. WR Tennessee
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Multi-Role Receiver | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/07/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.30 seconds (97%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.3 DOB: 11/30/2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Multi-Role Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 03/07/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.30 seconds (97%*) | |
| Age: 22.3 DOB: 11/30/2002 | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 82.5 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 131.7 | |
| Hands: |
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70% |
| Short Receiving: |
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82% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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88% |
| Deep Threat: |
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93% |
| Blocking: |
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67% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#171
Position rank:
#19
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| College Games: 42 College Snaps: 1032 | ||
ESPN RATING: 85/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 95/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Matt Landers - Arkansas |
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85% |
| Bryce Ford-Wheaton - West Virginia |
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74% |
| Christian Watson - North Dakota State |
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72% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Dont'e Thornton Jr. is a 6'5", 205-pound wide receiver who started his collegiate career at Oregon before transferring to Tennessee for his final two seasons. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Thornton emerged as one of the nation's premier deep threats during his time with the Volunteers, leading the country with an eye-popping 25.4 yards per catch as a senior. The Mount St. Joseph product was a highly-regarded four-star recruit coming out of high school, ranked as the top receiver in Maryland and among the top-100 players nationally by multiple recruiting services.After spending his first two seasons with the Ducks (2021-2022), Thornton transferred to Tennessee where his vertical playmaking ability truly blossomed. During his senior campaign, he led the Vols in receiving yards (661) and touchdown catches (6) on just 26 receptions. His penchant for explosive plays was unmatched, recording six catches of 50+ yards – tops in the nation. The academic honor roll member saved his best performances for his final season, notching three 100-yard games including a Tennessee career-high 118 yards against Vanderbilt, highlighted by an 86-yard touchdown that stands as the longest Volunteer reception since 2003.
Throughout his college journey, Thornton compiled 65 catches for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns across 47 games at Oregon and Tennessee. His production was sometimes inconsistent, but his big-play ability remained constant – evidenced by his career 21.9 yards per reception average. At the NFL Combine, Thornton validated his game-breaking speed with a blazing 4.30 in the 40-yard dash, further cementing his status as a legitimate vertical threat at the next level.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Rare combination of size (6'5"), length (32â…›" arms) and verified deep speed (4.30 forty) that forces defensive coordinators to account for him on every snap.
- Advanced hand usage at the line reveals technical refinement; consistently defeats press with varied releases and confident strikes to defender's chest plate.
- Possesses explosive acceleration that pushes corners on their heels immediately; defenders often declare early out of respect for his vertical threat.
- Tracks deep balls with natural instinct; masterful at stacking corners vertically and maintaining leverage throughout the route stem.
- Surprisingly fluid hips for his height; can sink and gather on comeback routes more effectively than most long-striders in his mold.
- Contested catch warrior when the ball's in the air; high-points naturally and uses elite catch radius to extend away from defender's reach.
- Soft hands when plucking fastballs away from his frame; concentration in traffic stands out on tape when climbing the ladder.
- Averaged a remarkable 3.72 yards per route run in 2024 – production efficiency that speaks to his game-breaking ability when targeted.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Route tree remains significantly underdeveloped despite four years of collegiate experience; primarily lives on verticals and comebacks.
- Separation consistency varies wildly from game to game; can completely vanish for long stretches against physical coverage techniques.
- Lacks creativity and explosive lateral agility after the catch; most YAC production comes from straight-line breakaways rather than elusiveness.
- Tends to round his breaks at the top of routes rather than creating sharp angles that would maximize his separation windows.
- Production profile raises serious questions; never emerged as a volume target (career-high 26 catches) despite elite physical traits.
Scouting Report: Summary
Thornton projects as a high-ceiling developmental receiver who could dictate coverage as a field-stretcher in vertical offensive systems. His rare blend of size and legitimate 4.3 speed gives him immediate value as a home-run hitter who forces safeties to play honest. What separates him from other height-weight-speed specimens is his surprisingly natural ball skills at the catch point and technical polish when releasing off the line.The limited route tree is concerning, but his fluid lower body movements when snapping back to the quarterback on curls and comebacks suggest untapped potential as a more complete route-runner with proper coaching. Teams with strong-armed quarterbacks who emphasize explosive plays will covet his ability to take the top off defenses. His 33-inch vertical and 10'6" broad jump numbers further confirm the explosiveness that shows up consistently on tape.
While Thornton likely won't hear his name called until Day 3 of the draft (projected round 5-6), his upside is considerable. The team that selects him will be betting on development rather than immediate production, but patient coaching could unlock a legitimate boundary receiver with true game-breaking potential. The biggest question remains whether he can develop into more than just a wind-sprint runner who makes a splash play every few games. His floor remains a specialized deep threat whose mere presence creates space underneath, but the ceiling – if he can expand his route repertoire and add consistency – is that of a dangerous X-receiver who can win at all three levels of the field.
Written By:
Bill Miller (SEC)
Dont'e Thornton Jr. percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Dont'e Thornton Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
195.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
25.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.