Nation No. 3 Receiver Posts Blazing Reps in 40-Yard Dash, Updates Recruitment
Work ethic has never been a question for Mount St. Joseph (MD) wide receiver Dont’e Thornton as he and teammate Ausar Crawley took in two-a-days this week. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound wide receiver looked to improve on his 4.63 40 time from spring of 2019, so following their 5:30 AM workout, the duo hit the field on Tuesday to test their improvement ahead of skill work.
Thornton posted a 4.43, 4.43 and 4.47-second in the laser timed 40 yard dash. And with a frame to add even more strength to an athletic skillset, it’s clear why Thornton sits within the top five nationally in SI All-American’s wide receiver rankings.
Thornton released his top six back in late May as Arizona State, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, Florida State and UVA remain in the picture. “I tried to target the schools that basically threw the ball a lot and have a good quarterback there,” Thornton told All Terrapins.
The ongoing pandemic has complicated visits for the 2021 class and beyond as Thornton has only checked out half of his top list. “I only got to visit UVA, Oregon and Notre Dame. I had planned on taking a couple of visits in the spring but since the pandemic happened, I wasn’t able to do that. If it opens up yeah I plan on taking visits. The toughest part is not being able to get out, but I can talk to coaches as many times as I want to but if it’s a school that I really like and I haven’t been on campus, it’s hard for me to decide on going there because I’ve never been there. That’s the hardest part.”
The two-year recruiting process for Thornton has given him a sound understanding of where he fits into each offense. While the contact with coaching staff from each school remains persistent, Thornton sees a slight adjustment to the pitch given the current state of fall sports.
“Only thing is they know since the pandemic, people opting out they need players that are going to be ready to play. No matter where I go, if they have players or they’re in the rebuilding stage that means I have a good chance of going in and working to get a starting job or get on the field early.”
Oregon hosted Thornton last summer as the Ducks high-flying offense has his full attention. “Talk to them a lot, great relationship with all the coaches especially coach [Mario] Cristobal and the receivers coach.”
Meanwhile, Notre Dame remains in the thick of his recruitment as the Irish look to differentiate themselves among the pack. “I talked to the receivers coach [Tuesday] morning, it’s good with them too. They always talk about if I go there, get a degree from there and stop playing football, that degree can take me a long way.”
Virginia is the most local school for Thornton, but it’s not because of location. The Cavaliers became the first school to offer the MSJ standout back on June 1 of 2018 and it’s not something Thornton takes lightly.
“That was my first offer. Once everything opened up and coaches could start talking to us, I talked to the coaching staff a lot more and I have a great relationship with the receivers coach, coach [Marques] Hagans, so I talk to them a lot too.”
A timeframe for a decision remains set for January 9 though is subject to change.
“My timeframe as of now is set for the Adidas All-American game on January 9. If that gets canceled, it might get moved up earlier so we’re playing it by ear.”
But before Thornton steps on a college campus, he hopes to get one last crack at high school ball. Mount St. Joseph hired Dominic Damico as their new head coach over the offseason as Thornton aims to play with the weight slightly off his shoulder.
“If I do get another chance to play, I’m just trying to break records. I set everything up for me in the past two years with my sophomore and junior year, so I already have a name for myself. Now, I’m just playing to play.”
As a junior, Thornton posted 1,074 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 39 catches.
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