2020 Raiders Draft Prospect

Name: Damon Arnette

Position: Cornerback

School: Ohio State University

Height: 6ft

Weight: 195 pounds

Stats

Coverage

From the moment that you press play, Arnette brings immediate physicality to the play. He keeps his hands inside, sustaining the jam a little longer, throwing off the route. After those five yards, Arnette traces well. He can mirror long movements with confidence. Meanwhile the shorter-breaking routes will test the limits of his ability to recover. While not blessed with fantastic long speed, Arnette hopes to do enough in the first five yards to win. The receiver will know he’s in for a battle at the snap, through the whistle.

Ball Skills

Arnette displays foundation tools to build upon. He doesn’t back away from the ball, the moment or the play. That is to say, Arnette plays with a a calm with the ball aimed in his direction. He flashes capable hands and a late reach to knock the ball away.

Tackling

Of all his attributes, this one jumps out, giving Arnette a leg up on most corners. First, he displays a desire and willingness to get dirty, throwing himself into the ball. With a quick pop, sound wrap and drive, Arnette ends the play in a hurry.

Speed

The only pronounced negative against Arnette is his burst. While he doesn’t possess the immediate burst that many in the draft class have in spades. Arnette will struggle against speedy wideouts that he can delay. When he does get hands on them, he appears to play just a bit faster.

Why Arnette?

The Raiders employed Daryl Worley to play a hybrid role, a corner with safety responsibility. Now, Arnette appears to be a marked improvement, as he can play in the slot or outside. Unlike Worley, who missed 8 tackles during the year, Arnette will tackle with a authority. As a result, if the Raiders wanted, he would settle into a role similar to Worley. In Paul Guenther’s system, he places tackling at a premium.