Las Vegas Raiders 2020 rookie grades: Henry Ruggs III falls short
Las Vegas Raiders rookie grade: Damon Arnette, CB (Rd. 1, Pick 19)
Among the many players who inspired optimism in Las Vegas coming into the season was Damon Arnette. The Ohio State cornerback locked down one of the starting jobs on the outside right out of the gate and there was hope he’d provide stability to the secondary. Unfortunately, his rookie season was anything but stable.
Injuries routinely cropped up for Arnette throughout the year, missing seven weeks with a thumb injury, more with a concussion and then also landing on the COVID/Reserve list as well. In total, he played only six games and, frankly, struggled when he was able to get on the field.
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Transitioning from college to the pros at cornerback is as difficult a move as any position on the field, if not the most. So with Arnette being in and out of the lineup due to injury, you can’t write him off. But his early returns were less than inspiring. Grade: D
Las Vegas Raiders rookie grade: Lynn Bowden Jr., RB (Rd. 3, Pick 80)
As you’ve seen with Ruggs and Arnette — and as you’ll see moving forward — the Raiders 2020 rookie class wasn’t exactly knocking down the door of the league. However, bar-none the worst pick of the draft for them came in the form of hybrid offensive weapons Lynn Bowden Jr. out of Kentucky.
Bowden was the soup du jour of the draft process as an enticing weapon. A wide receiver for most of his time in college, he actually spent his final year with the Wildcats playing quarterback due to injuries at the position. Thus, his versatility was coveted. Even then, though, taking him at No. 80 felt like a bit of a reach.
That was only made worse when the Raiders decided to try and transition him to running back. He struggled immensely in trying to do so and he was then traded to the Dolphins for pennies. Talk about a wasted pick for a team that can’t afford to make those types of decisions. Grade: F