Who Should I Start? Roman Wilson or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Wednesday, May 7, 1:14 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers are counting on wide receiver Roman Wilson to take a Year 2 jump after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Wilson has looked like a different player this offseason than what he looked like in his injury-riddled rookie campaign in 2024. Pittsburgh selected the 23-year-old in the third round (84th overall) last year out of Michigan, but he played in just one game due to ankle and hamstring injuries and didn't record a single catch. In his final season with the Wolverines in college, Wilson produced 49 catches for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns. If he can get past the injuries that plagued him in his first NFL season, Wilson is fully expected to be the No. 2 wideout behind DK Metcalf, albeit in a run-first offense that currently has Mason Rudolph as the projected starting quarterback.

Thursday, May 29, 3:43 PM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. flashed at the team's Thursday OTA practice, according to team reporter Levi Edwards. The fourth-round rookie out of Tennessee turned heads at the 2025 NFL Combine after posting a 4.30-second 40-yard dash time at nearly 6-feet-5 inches tall, which proved to increase his draft stock mightily. The speedster led the nation in yards per reception last season (25.4) and tallied 26 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns. Thornton might not have a significant or consistent impact right away behind Jakobi Meyers, Brock Bowers, Jack Bech, Tre Tucker, and potentially others in the target pecking order, but he has game-changing size-speed ability and could help the offense stretch the field in 2025. The 22-year-old is worth a late best ball dart throw and rookie draft flyer.