Raiders will need rookie receivers to make impact

HENDERSON, Nev. — It was a small sample size, but Dont’e Thornton Jr.’s potential was noticeable in the first week of the Las Vegas Raiders’ OTAs last month.

During the team period of practice, quarterback Geno Smith rolled to his right before throwing an intermediate pass to the back of the end zone, slipping the ball past tight coverage as receiver Thornton secured the touchdown grab.

In April, Las Vegas drafted Thornton in the fourth round with the hope that plays similar to the one he made in practice will translate to the regular season and beyond.

Catch up on the NFL offseason

• Offseason dates | OTAs and minicamps• 10 lingering questions | 2025 schedules• Draft pick analysis | Kiper’s draft grades• Free agency grades | Top remaining FAsDraft | Free agency | Coaching hires

Thornton is in the early phase of learning the offense and polishing his route running. At the same time, Thornton and fellow rookie wideout Jack Bech’s development could be crucial in the success of the Raiders’ offense in 2025.

Outside of wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who recorded 1,027 receiving yards last season, there’s a sudden decline in production amongst Las Vegas’ wide receivers. The rest of the room combined to catch 50 passes for 570 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. If the Raiders truly want to maximize their time with Smith under center, it might come down to Thornton and Bech transforming into immediate contributors.

“There’s a lot of talent in that room,” Raiders wide receiver coach Chris Beatty told ESPN. “It’s our job to make sure that we put them in positions to maximize the talent they have and try to lessen the learning curve as much as we can for them.”

Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said Thornton is a “unique” player. At 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, the former Tennessee wideout is a big target but has blazing speed. Thornton completed the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds during the NFL combine in February.

Thornton’s speed made him a big-play threat for the Volunteers. Last year, Thornton — who played two seasons at Oregon before transferring to Tennessee in 2023 — led the nation in yards per catch (25.4) and catches for 50-plus yards (six).

The Maryland native also had 73.1% of his receptions result in a first down or a touchdown.

“He’s just a hair under 6-5 and he ran 4.3. There’s not a lot of humans on this planet [who] do that,” Kelly said. “I think if you had a draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that type of body type, someone that’s got length, someone that’s got a huge catch radius, but also has speed.”

Thornton passes the eye test in terms of physical traits. And he has the potential to open up the passing game in a major way. Not only can he be a deep-ball target for Smith, but he could be used as a decoy to create opportunities for underneath throws.

However, Thornton has a steep learning curve. One of the biggest concerns about Thornton in the draft was his imperfect route tree, which limits what he can do on the field. In addition, he had a low volume of targets during his college career. Thornton was targeted 96 times in 48 games.

“There are a lot of things he wants to work on, as far as polishing his route running releases,” said Beatty, who was the Chicago Bears’ interim offensive coordinator in 2024. “For a taller guy, we’ve got to work on understanding the whole scheme, so everything slows down for him. He’s done a great job so far, but he’s got a long way to go to get where he’s going to be able to be a contributor right away.”

Bech, the Raiders’ second-round pick, has the physicality and ball skills to solidify the role as WR3. In his final season at TCU, Bech had 17 contested catches and generated 339 yards after the catch.

He also provides Kelly the flexibility to line him up either on the outside or in the slot. He had 24 catches for 455 yards in the slot and caught 36 passes for 564 yards as an outside receiver. And since the Raiders are expected to be a run-heavy offense, Bech’s ability as a blocker also opens the door for room to play meaningful snaps.

“He’ll block like crazy,” coach Pete Carroll said.

Best of NFL Nation

• Raiders need rookie WRs to make an impact• How ‘Turk’ Wharton can help Panthers D• Why Commanders expect even better Daniels• Dallas counting on jump from LT Guyton• Engstrand trying to buck failed Jets OC trend

Tommy Mellott, a sixth-round pick out of Montana State, is an interesting case, as he switched from quarterback to wide receiver. For Mellott, speed is his strongest attribute. That trait will help him on special teams, but offensively, he could become a dependable presence in the slot or be utilized in wildcat formations.

Beatty said Mellott provides a different perspective due to his quarterback background. Throughout OTAs and rookie minicamp, the coaching staff has been working diligently on teaching Mellott to navigate through coverages.

“He’s getting better every day, and that’s to be expected,” Beatty said.

When looking at the depth at wide receiver, each rookie has an opportunity to earn significant playing time. Third-year wideout Tre Tucker — 47 catches, 539 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 — is projected as WR2. From there, the competition is wide open. Alex Bachman has 31 career receiving yards. Kyle Philips hasn’t played since 2023.

The Raiders’ offensive success will not solely come down to their rookie wide receivers. Meyers has proven to be a dependable target. Meanwhile, second-year tight end Brock Bowers already has a strong case for being the best player at his position. He had 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie.

But if Las Vegas wants to live up to its full potential, it’s going to take one of these young players to step up in a big way.

“Everybody’s on a different level when they come in, and it’s just a matter of them getting acclimated,” Kelly said. ” … [Thornton and Bech] have shown that they’re good players, and we’ll continue to see how they go.”