The Las Vegas Raiders have been dragged for their ineptitude in the NFL Draft over recent years. Perhaps no class has given them more issues -- both on and off the field -- than the group they brought in during the event in 2020.
First-round picks Henry Ruggs III and Damon Arnette were some of the biggest swings and misses in the history of the draft for the Silver and Black. Ruggs' career with the Raiders obviously ended in tragedy, and Arnette's was plagued by problems off the field as well.
However, Arnette has recently made a return to football this season. He has starred for the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL this spring, recording a pick-six, a sack and 18 tackles, including two for a loss, in just seven games.
Damon Arnette is begging NFL teams for one last chance
In a recent interview with KCRP reporter Aaron Wilson, Arnette and his agent both said that the former No. 19 overall pick is looking forward to a potential return to the NFL this season.
“He’ll be a free agent in two weeks, eligible to sign with an NFL team in time for veteran minicamps in June," his agent said. "As NFL teams know, corners are like pitchers in baseball, you can never have enough cornerbacks.”
Arnette certainly had a laundry list of legal issues off the field, but he also struggled mightily in the secondary for the Raiders. In his 13 games that he played with the franchise over two seasons, he recorded PFF grades of 41.7 and 32.9.
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The new regime in Las Vegas is solely focused on high-character players, so it is nearly impossible that Arnette would ever wear the Silver and Black again. However, he insists that he has grown as a person, and perhaps another NFL franchise will take a chance on him.
“I’m a dawg on the field. I’m more of a professional now than I ever was before," Arnette said. "I wasn’t a professional before. I was just a dawg. I found professionalism and a calm state of mind. I feel like I’m the best version of myself that I’ve ever been.”
While the jury is still out on whether or not he can help an NFL team reach its goals and not be a distraction, for Arnette's sake, it would be tremendous if he is back on the right path and impacting society in a more positive way.