The Las Vegas Raiders selected former Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette with the 19th selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Arnette was not the best prospect in the Ohio State cornerback room. His partner, Jeff Okudah, was the apple of the NFL’s eye, and the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. Turn the tape on, however, and you’ll find that Arnette was a very impressive player in his own right. Some were surprised to see his name get called on Day 1, but we weren’t.
Arnette was quietly a very good cornerback throughout his time as a Buckeye. He capped off an impressive collegiate career by featuring in 53 games, 38 of which he started at cornerback.
It’s easy to see why the Raiders fell in love with Arnette. The duo of Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden have put an emphasis on toughness throughout their time running the Raiders. Arnette certainly fits the bill. He’s a cornerback that does his best work in press coverage. He loves to get in the face of his opponent. He’s the type of cover corner that challenges his man physically from the opening whistle. He has a tremendous amount of pop in his hands, and has showcased his ability to redirect a receiver’s route. He has the ability to mirror-and-match his opponent all over the field. He has excellent feet and his ability to close on the ball should aid his transition to the next level.
Arnette is a fluid and smooth corner that should immediately upgrade the Raiders’ secondary. For a team that has to play Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs twice a year, you can never have too many corners. The Raiders certainly found a good one in Arnette.
