It’s fairly obvious that the Raiders didn’t get enough out of their rookie class this season. Despite having two first-round picks and five selections in the top-100, it was a disappointing season for their 2020 class.
Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette both dealt with injuries. Tanner Muse never played a snap and Lynn Bowden Jr. was traded before he ever got the chance to set foot on the field. In hindsight, it may be a draft the team might soon regret.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus via ESPN, they ranked all 32 draft class by the wins above the replacement metric. Not surprisingly, the Raiders’ class ranked among the league’s worst at No. 30. Here is a snippet of what they had to say about their 2020 draft:
“All seven of the Raiders’ 2020 draft picks were selected within the first four rounds, and that group collectively ranked third-to-last in WAR generated among the 32 classes. Only one Las Vegas rookie generated positive WAR this season — wide receiver Bryan Edwards — and he barely eclipsed zero. The second of Las Vegas’ two first-round picks, cornerback Damon Arnette, had a rough rookie campaign over nine games played. He finished as the lowest-graded outside corner in coverage this season, giving up 26 catches for 405 yards on 32 targets.”
If Ruggs and Arnette can stay healthy, then this class obviously will have a chance to redeem itself. But general manager Mike Mayock has already questioned Arnette’s off-the-field work ethic and we shall see if Ruggs can develop in Year 2.
As of now, this class leaves a lot to be desired. They need multiple players from this class to improve if they want to take the next step as a franchise in 2021.
[lawrence-newsletter]