Las Vegas Raiders: 4 bold predictions for the 2020 NFL Draft class
By Brad Weiss
Damon Arnette will lead the Raiders in interceptions
Last year, the then-Oakland Raiders drafted Trayvon Mullen in the second round, adding the talented cornerback who was fresh off being the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the national title game. Towards the end of the 2019 season, Mullen looked all the part of being a true CB1 at the NFL level, so the plan was to build the position group around him this offseason.
In the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, with the No. 19 overall pick, the Raiders shocked some people when they drafted Ohio State’s Damon Arnette. Not seen as a first rounder by many outlets, Arnette ended up being the second cornerback off the board, finishing second to only teammate Jeffrey Okudah.
What you see when you watch Arnette’s tape is an Alpha male that can dominate one side of the field. With a solid camp, he is going to be starter alongside Mullen this season, even with the team bringing in Prince Amukamara, and his presence will be felt in this revamped Raiders secondary.
In fact, with Mullen having to cover the No. 1 wideout on a weekly basis, I like teams to try Arnette early and often as a rookie, and that will lead to him leading the Raiders in interceptions as a rookie. He and Okudah formed a dominant tandem at Ohio State, and he and Mullen will do the same in Vegas.