Oregon wide receiver Dont’e Thornton, a former Penn State commit, announced Monday that he’s entering a transfer portal.
Respect my decision! 🖤 #FreeMacc @Hayesfawcett3 @GradeFatz @CoachLester18 pic.twitter.com/bTuWMQNzsA
— Macc11🥷🏿 (@IamDTJ11) November 29, 2022
Thornton, a 6-foot-5, 199-pound former four-star out of Baltimore, Maryland, picked Oregon after he had been a Penn State commit from February 2019-August 2019. He was the No. 2 player in Maryland, the No. 7 wide receiver and the No. 57 prospect in the nation for the Class of 2021, according to 247Sports composite rankings.
Thornton committed to Oregon over Penn State and Arizona State in October 2020 and enrolled in February 2021.
In his statement released on social media, Thorton
thanked Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Junior Adams and the rest of Oregon’s staff “and family for all the love and support they have provided me over this past football season at Oregon.”
He also thanked his teammates for “always pushing me to be the best version of myself on and off the field.”
Thornton wrote at the end of his statement that he’ll “always be a Duck at heart, but its time for me to move on to the next chapter of my football career and make sure that I make the right decision for myself.”
In two seasons at Oregon, Thornton caught 26 balls for 541 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games and played in 11 games this past season.
As a former commit, it will be an interesting prospect to keep an eye on with Penn State’s wide receiver group having questions heading into the 2023 season.
Mitchell Tinsley will be out of eligibility. Parker Washington is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft, and no other receiver caught more than 17 passes during the regular season. Thorton would give Penn State a high-upside offensive weapon with three years of eligibility remaining.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
