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The NFL Combine has been very good to wide receivers this year. Perhaps the one trait that gets scouts and coaches really excited is speed. That’s certainly the case with the Las Vegas Raiders. The late Al Davis was known for always targeting the most athletically gifted players in the draft. His son Mark hasn’t pushed for that as much but there’s no doubt he likes speed as he was a big proponent of the team drafting Henry Ruggs in 2020.
Ruggs was starting to show big-time potential last season before getting arrested for a DUI resulting in death after killing 23-year-old Tina O. Tintor in a car crash. The wide receiver was quickly released after the incident. The Raiders lacked a consistent deep threat after Ruggs’ release and will be looking to replace him this offseason.
The NFL Combine is underway and there have been a large number of wide receivers who have impressed with their speed. The most impressive display was from Tyquan Thornton out of Baylor, who was thought to have broken the record for 40-yard dash time when he was unofficially clocked in at 4.21. After he ran, many already started linking him to the Raiders.
Former NFL cornerback Will Blackmon even suggested Al Davis would rise from the grave just to draft the speedster.
Unfortunately, after official times were released, results showed that Thornton ran a 4.28 40-yard dash, which did not break any records. That said, it was the fastest time for any player at the Combine and the same time Ruggs ran back in 2020. He certainly helped his chances of getting drafted.
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Thornton Could Be Had Day 3 of the Draft
Thornton may have helped his draft status quite a bit at the NFL Combine. He’s only 181 pounds and could struggle with strong cornerbacks. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein sees him as a Day 3 pick:
There is a lot to like about Thornton’s game, including his instincts, long speed and ability to create separation on the move. He’s a vertical threat with the speed and poise to win deep and has an excellent feel for maintaining spacing when working against zone coverage. He’s skinny and linear, which is a bad combination in defeating strong press-man corners on the next level. The poise and catch radius will work in his favor, but the success rate on contested catches will be lower than teams like, based upon his history and physical traits. Wideouts with his size profile have struggled mightily to succeed in the league, but Thornton’s speed and talent make him worthy of a shot on Day 3.
If the Raiders go for a bigger wide receiver like Treylon Burks in the first round or sign one like Davante Adams, Thornton would be an interesting prospect to target between the fourth and seventh rounds.
Draft a WR Early Will Depend on Free Agency
With Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler only recently taking over as head coach and general manager, it’s hard to know how they’ll approach free agency and the draft. Regardless of how they go about things, the Raiders need a No. 1 wide receiver. There are really strong options available in the draft. Burks, Drake London out of USC, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson out of Ohio State could be stars in the NFL.
The Raiders will likely draft a wide receiver early unless they land a No. 1 in free agency. There are also strong options there like Adams, Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson. This is a very good offseason to need a star wide receiver.
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