Dont'e Thornton Jr. is a former collegiate football wide receiver who played for the University of Tennessee (UT) and the University of Oregon. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended Mount Saint Joseph High School. He lettered for the Oregon Ducks football program from 2021 to 2002. Thornton Jr.'s time with the Ducks saw him appear in 25 games, recording 26 receptions for 541 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 20.8 yards per catch. He also recorded two rushes for six yards. Thornton transferred to the Tennessee Volunteers football program in 2023. (via Oregon Ducks' official website)
A season-ending injury shortened his junior year, but he still had 13 receptions for 224 yards and one touchdown in nine games. In his senior year (2024), He topped the nation with a 25.4 yards-per-reception average with 26 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. Over his two seasons with the Volunteers, he recorded 39 receptions for 885 yards and seven touchdowns and averaged 22.7 yards per catch, as per Sports Reference. He was invited to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. Thornton Jr. declared for the 2025 NFL Draft through his Instagram account (@mac11____). At the NFL Scouting Combine, his Next Gen Stats score of 72 ranked 23rd overall among the wide receivers, as per NFL's official website.
Dont’e Thornton Jr.'s NIL deals
As of April 2025, Thornton Jr. has inked several NIL deals. He partnered with the Volunteer Club, the official NIL collective for student-athletes at the University of Tennessee. In January 2023, he partnered with Spyre Sports Group, a sports media and marketing group that offers NIL opportunities for players.
In December 2023, Thornton Jr. and 25 other Tennessee football players signed NIL deals with Top Tier Authentics. This deal makes it possible for fans to buy officially licensed autographed memorabilia, including signed footballs, jerseys, helmets, etc. Thornton partnered with Vol Access, a documentary series that premiered in August 2023. This series was produced by The Volunteer Club in partnership with the online platform Honorarium, giving fans behind-the-scenes access to Tennessee football. (via On3)
Dont’e Thornton Jr is active on social media, having accounts on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram (via On3)
Dont'e Thornton Jr.'s NIL deal tracker
According to On3's official website, the following table is an account of the NIL deals that Dont'e Thornton Jr. has signed in his career, as of April 2025:
| Date | NIL deals |
| 12/29/23 | Top Tier Authentics |
| 10/30/23 | The Players Lounge |
| 8/17/23 | Honorarium |
| 1/26/23 | Spyre Sports Group |
| 9/01/22 | Ducks Rising |
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FAQs on Dont’e Thornton Jr.
A. Dont’e Thornton Jr. attended the University of Tennessee, after transferring from the University of Oregon in 2023.
A. Dont’e Thornton Jr. attended Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Maryland.
A. Dont’e Thornton Jr. ran the 40-yard dash in 4.30 seconds at the 2025 NFL Combine, as per NFL's official website.
A. Dont’e Thornton Jr. plays as a wide receiver.
