Raiders: 5 former first-round picks that must reach their potential in 2021
By Brad Weiss
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 former first-round picks that must reach their potential in 2021
No. 2: Damon Arnette
During the 2020 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders once again held multiple first-round picks, selecting Henry Ruggs III with the No. 12 overall selection, filling a void at wide receiver. Later in round one, the Raiders addressed another big need, drafting Ohio State’s Damon Arnette, a player that many felt was a reach.
After a disappointing rookie season, one that saw Arnette deal with injuries, COVID, and inconsistent play, he goes into his second season as a huge question mark. In fact, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur recently tweeted that Arnette could be an afterthought already, which would make selecting him in the first round a horrible mistake.
With Trayvon Mullen locked in as a starter, and Casey Hayward likely locking down the outside cornerback role opposite of him, Arnette may have to move into the slot. However, the Raiders like what they have in that role in Amik Robertson, Nevin Lawson, and Nate Hobbs, so in terms of Arnette, he could be on the outside looking in at a starting role in Year 2.