Two Underrated Raiders Who Are Vastly Important to Team's Success

The Las Vegas Raiders hired John Spytek as their general manager to help assemble a more competitive team. As with the hiring of Klint Kubiak, Spytek was well aware of how daunting a task it would be to turn the team around and just how long it would likely take.

Spytek's First Class

Spytek's first draft class as a general manager was headlined by running back Ashton Jeanty, who the Raiders drafted with the No. 6 pick in the draft. Jeanty broke the franchise rookie record for total yards from scrimmage and did so behind arguably the worst offensive line in the league.

Las Vegas also added wide receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton in the second and fourth rounds, respectively. Bech's being drafted in the second round naturally raised expectations, as did Thornton's physical attributes as a tall, fast receiver. Neither had much of an impact in 2025.

Their lack of impact was due to several factors beyond their control, including poor coaching, poor offensive line play, and poor quarterback play. Still, both players had plenty of room for improvement over this offseason, and the Raiders' front office is banking on it.

The Raiders have improved their line, will soon improve their quarterback group again, and now have a better coaching staff leading the way. Bech and Thornton's development would help expedite the Raiders' turnaround. Spytek recently gave insight into how both players are coming along.

"Yeah, two guys that have spent a lot of time in Las Vegas when they could be elsewhere. And I see a growth and maturity, a hunger that maybe their rookie year didn't go the way that they wanted it to, and two guys that are determined to make the most of the opportunity they have out in front of them,” Spytek said at the team’s pre-draft press conference.

"Well, they're both physically gifted. They're both big, and they work really hard, and it's really important to them. And they seek people out, they look for answers, they look for ways that they can get better."

Bech and Thornton's Importance

A second-round pick is supposed to produce more than what Bech did in his rookie season. Bech plays a position where it is fairly easy to tell if he made an impact on the field. If a wide receiver is not directly impacting the stat sheet, there is not much reason to have them on the field.

Both Bech and Thornton are putting in the work to try to make more of an impact in 2026.

“They're always trying to learn, and they work their tails off. It means a lot to both of those guys. And I'll stand by guys like that," Spytek said.

"I mean, guys that are willing to lay it on the line and exhaust themselves to get better and be vulnerable and ask questions and take feedback and take criticism in a sense, I think you want guys on your team like that because you know they're going to get better."

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