Grading the 2019 Oakland Raiders: Wide Receiver Hunter Renfrow
The Oakland Raiders selected Hunter Renfrow in the fifth round of the 2019 draft, pegged to be a threat in the slot. By season’s end, he became the top receiver for the Silver and Black.
With new General Manager Mike Mayock in the fold for year two of Jon Gruden’s second run with the Oakland Raiders, changing the culture was the focus for the 2019 NFL Draft. It is a somewhat “cliche” phrase used by many, but it’s a necessary goal for a franchise to return to relevance. Culture changing players was something the Raiders desperately needed.
It’s no surprise that Mayock and Gruden targeted prospects from college powerhouses like Alabama and Clemson, and it made the selection of Hunter Renfrow in the fifth round all too logical. Having caught the game-winning touchdown in the 2017 College Football Championship, Renfrow displayed a winning pedigree on a big stage.
For the Raiders, he was expected to maximize his skillset in the slot and become a reliable contributor for Derek Carr in the passing game. By season’s end, Renfrow became a third-down machine and arguably the Raiders’ top wideout.
Hunter Renfrow began his rookie campaign with a slow start, unable to surpass more than 30 yards receiving through the first six games. In his first start in Week 5 across the pond in London, he hauled in just one catch on five targets. Adjusting to the offense was expected, and it was clear Renfrow was slowly coming into his own, just waiting for his eventual breakout performance.
That day arrived during Week 8 against the Houston Texans, where Renfrow caught all four targets for 88 yards (his career-high to date) and the first regular-season touchdown of his career. Renfrow followed up his breakout performance with another touchdown haul the following week against Detroit.
After missing a few games late down the stretch due to injury, Renfrow returned in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers and solidified himself as the Raiders’ top wideout with back-to-back star performances. Against the Chargers Renfrow caught seven-of-nine targets for 107 yards and a touchdown, and in the season finale connected with Carr on six catches 102 yards and touchdown as well.
With a revolving door at receiver and Tyrell Williams battling plantar fasciitis, Hunter Renfrow began the season with the expectation of being the slot receiver and ended his first year as Derek Carr‘s go-to target out wide. As the icing on the cake, here’s a friendly reminder of every Raiders fan’s favorite Renfrow stat: he matched Odell Beckham Jr.’s four receiving touchdowns in 2019. Not bad for a fifth-round rookie.
Next. Young RBs paid dividends for Raiders in 2019. dark
Hunter Renfrow can’t do it alone and look for the Raiders to upgrade the receiving corps through the draft and possibly free agency. But Renfrow solidified himself as a principal part of the Raiders’ future going forward.