The Raiders’ offense is receiving a lot of hype this offseason and it’s not hard to understand why. The team added three dynamic weapons in the draft, including Henry Ruggs with the No. 12 pick. Returning are emerging superstars in Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller, who are among the top players at their positions entering the season.
But one player that doesn’t get enough love is slot receiver Hunter Renfrow. After a fantastic rookie season, Renfrow figures to be a big part of the team’s offense in 2020.
In a recent article by Rivers McCown of ESPN, Renfrow was named one of the league’s top young prospects entering the season. Here is a snippet of McCown’s thoughts on the former Clemson star.
Renfrow had always played above his tools at Clemson, and he did so again in his first season with the Raiders when he put up a 7.9% DVOA on the back of a 69% catch rate as a super slot receiver.
The upside of a player like this is a weird topic to discuss. There’s no physical upside, but Renfrow is the kind of player who can thrive as a big part of a short-passing offense as long as he stays healthy. That’s exactly what the Raiders did with him last year, and as long as they’re trailing often enough to keep Jon Gruden from using multiple tight ends, they should do the same thing this season.
McCown discussed Renfrow’s lack of athleticism at length, but he’s already proven to be an effective receiver in the NFL despite less-than-ideal measurables. With defenses likely to focus their attention on players like Jacobs, Ruggs and Waller, Renfrow should see a ton of single coverage in the 2020 season.
Look for Renfrow to catch around 60 or so passes this year and for Derek Carr to target him on key down and distances. Renfrow has the chance to develop into one of the league’s best slot receivers over the next few years.
