Understandably there was some shock when the Raiders made Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette their selection at 19 overall in the draft. He was pretty widely seen as a Round 2 or 3 talent. Usually he was listed just inside the top ten at his position and yet the Raiders made him the fourth corner off the board.
The Athletic’s Bob McGinn had him as his ninth-overall cornerback, which was the same place Dane Brugler had him in his mock draft. What makes McGinn’s rankings special is he includes direct quotes from scouts.
One scout seemed to like what he sees from Arnette on the field, but potentially some character red flags drop his value.
“[He] can play on the perimeter and in the slot. He is very physical. Maybe not as fast and athletically gifted as some other guys. Instinctive and tough. Man or zone fit. The concern with him is some off-the-field stuff.”
Character vs. play on the field seemed to be the overarching theme among the scouts quoted. A second scout said Arnette had a “knucklehead mentality.”
Arnette himself said following being selected by the Raiders that he went back to Ohio State for his senior year to “re-write (his) legacy.” His reputation up to that point was as having an attitude problem and was hard to coach.
This is probably why Ohio State alum Cris Carter told him he needed to go back to school for a year and to Arnette’s credit, he listened.
Teammates have said that they saw a completely different approach from Arnette last season, but scouts tend to latch onto ideas like a dog with a bone.
A third scout also mentioned concerns about Arnette off-field issues, but otherwise had good things to say about his character.
“He’s as good of a leader as they have on the team. He’s an edge guy. If I’m going to a junkyard I want this guy with me. His program character is outstanding.”
A fourth scout saw Arnette as a third-round prospect who would be a fit as a nickel corner.
“If you’re taking character out of it, I would love to have him in the third. He’s a nickel. He’s twitchy. His short-area quickness and being able to stick his foot in the ground and close on routes is what makes him special. He’s long speed’s not great to play outside. Inside, he’s everything you want as a nickel.”
The Raiders will want him as a starter on the outside. The drafted Amik Robertson in the fourth round to play nickel.
Also see: What scouts said about top pick Henry Ruggs III ahead of the draft
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