Colorado University Athletics
DaVaughn Thornton Biography
| DaVAUGHN THORNTON 6-5, 220, TE Denver, Colo. (East) |
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HIGH SCHOOL?Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 14 player from the state of Colorado and he is the No. 2 tight end on that list. Scout.com lists him as the No. 104 tight end while ESPN rates him as the No. 117 tight end in the country. He was named All-Colorado by the Denver Post, second-team All-State by the Rocky Mountain News and All-Central Metro League as both a junior and a senior. He also earned All-Denver Prep League honors as a sophomore as East changed from the Denver Prep League to the Central Metro League prior to the 2007 season. He started at tight end for East his sophomore through senior seasons. Defensively, he saw action at defensive end, outside linebacker and safety as a freshman and sophomore, then started at defensive end as a junior and switched back to outside linebacker and started as a senior. As a senior, he caught 44 passes for 895 yards and 12 touchdowns offensively and came up with 50 tackles, including 28 solo, on the defensive side of the ball where he also had two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. He led the Central Metro League in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and also ranked in the top 15 in the state in all three categories, as well. Had eight receptions for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Ranum in a 40-6 victory, five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown against Gateway and five receptions for 57 yards and three touchdowns against Montbello his senior season. Lists his best game that year against Grandview in the state playoffs where he had seven receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown in a 48-20 loss, which followed up a four reception, 79 yard, two-touchdown performance in a 49-30 victory over Highlands Ranch in the first round of the playoffs. As a junior he caught 25 passes for 717 yards and nine touchdowns and had 39 tackles, 26 of them solo, with two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. He had three receptions for 180 yards and a 71 yard touchdown reception against Overland in a 51-45 victory his junior season. He was also the team’s punter until classmate and fellow CU signee Zach Grossnickle joined the squad and in that time he had a punt over 40 yards. After Grossnickle returned, he became the team’s long snapper on punts and kicks, a position he held through his senior season. A four-year letterman under coach Ron Woolfork (the former Buff linebacker, 1990-93), East was 7-4 his senior year and 8-3 his junior season, advancing to the second round of the state playoffs both years. Also an accomplished basketball player for the two-time defending state champions, he is on his way to earning his fourth letter in that sport, as well. He is currently ranked second in the Denver Prep League with an average of 19.3 points per game and is also averaging nine rebounds per game. He averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game as a junior helping East to a 24-4 record while winning the title and 10 points and seven rebounds per game as a sophomore on the hardwood.
ACADEMICS?Interested in studying nutritional science or business management at Colorado and would like to pursue the culinary arts. He earned a spot on the school’s honor roll.
PERSONAL?He was born October 14, 1990 in Denver. His father, David Thornton, played linebacker at Oklahoma State. Oldest brother, Dazzmond, currently plays basketball for James Madison University after beginning his career at Texas Tech. Another brother, Demetrius, is currently playing basketball at Cochise Community College in Arizona. He has aspirations of being a chef and the best entr?e he prepares are enchiladas and burritos. He enjoys hanging out with friends and playing video games with his favorite game being FIFA soccer.