With the 2020 NFL Draft in the books, early grades from various sources are already popping up. It may seem far too soon to attach a letter grade to a process that takes years to produce tangible results, but these judgments can give insight into a team’s philosophy on draft day.
The Raiders’ draft class already earned a “B” from ESPN’s draft guru, Mel Kiper Jr., and now a “C” grade has been bestowed upon coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock by Pro Football Focus for their effort.
The publication was most excited about the Raiders’ last draft pick in 2020, cornerback Amik Robertson, describing Robertson as a dog, with some added emphasis.
Amik Robertson is a DOG. He’s a smaller cornerback who plays like he’s 6-foot-10. He projects as an extremely productive slot cornerback at the next level. His overall grades improved in each of the past three seasons at LA Tech, and he finished as the No. 75 player on PFF’s Big Board. He also ranked highly in many of PFF’s advanced coverage metrics.
Big question marks included the No. 19 overall choice, CB Damon Arnette, and the Raiders third-round pick, at No. 100, linebacker Tanner Muse. Muse, a safety in college, is slated to play linebacker in Las Vegas, but according to PFF, his athleticism in coverage, even at LB, is lacking.
The Raiders drafted another player that will convert positions, with running back Lynn Bowden Jr., who primarily played wide receiver in college and even played some at quarterback in 2019. It’s clear that Las Vegas feels fine about choosing players that don’t fit a conventional mold.
Mayock and Gruden did well with their draft class a year ago, so time will tell if their philosophy will continue to be successful. If they’ve done their job yet again, this class’ marks could be much higher the next time PFF checks in on its progress.
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