The Raiders spent second and fourth round picks on wide receivers in the 2025 draft, and according to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, the fourth-round pick might be a little ahead of the second-round pick on the depth chart.
Former Tennessee wide receiver Dont’e Thornton has received the most hype of any rookie on the Raiders’ roster outside of Ashton Jeanty, and despite falling to the 108th pick in the draft, Thornton seems to have the inside track to be the ‘X’ receiver in Chip Kelly’s offense.
Former TCU wide receiver Jack Bech reportedly had a first-round grade from a few teams going into the draft, but Bech’s role in the Raiders’ offense might go through veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers at times, and that could eat into his playing time in his first NFL season.
Carpenter talked this week about the Raiders’ receiver room, and he believes Thornton, Meyers, and Tre Tucker are the three names currently at the top of the team’s depth chart.
“If the season started today and clearly there’s a lot more competition left, I think your starters at wide receiver are Jakobi [Meyers], Tre Tucker and Dont’e [Thornton],” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“I think those three going on reps and everything else have just separated himself. Jack Bech had a really nice red zone touchdown today by Aiden O’Connell. But I don’t think yet he’s in those top three.”
As Hondo pointed out, it’s only July and many believe Bech is going to shine when the physicality of preseason and the regular season begins.
The Raiders first preseason game is August 7th and there’s no question Thornton and Bech will both see significant preseason reps.
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