When Antonio Brown went AWOL just a few days before the regular season, the Raiders were forced to change their passing attack to fit their current set of weapons. It took the Raiders some time to gel, but one of the reasons their passing game improved is the usage of fifth-round pick Hunter Renfrow.
Renfrow finished the season with 605 receiving yards and four touchdowns, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Renfrow missed three games this season, but he was significantly better for the Raiders in the second half of the season.
In his final seven games, Renfrow caught 35 passes for 490 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged an incredible 14 yards per reception as he quickly became Derek Carr’s favorite target.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, the site named their top-50 rookies from the 2019 season. Surprisingly enough, Renfrow finished No. 6 on their list, just behind teammate Josh Jacobs at No. 4. Take a look at PFF’s thoughts on Renfrow’s rookie season:
Fifth-round pick Hunter Renfrow is the second Raider to crack the top-10 rookies of 2019, and he stepped up as a legitimate weapon within a depleted receiving corps. Renfrow was a vital piece to Jon Gruden’s West Coast Offense and has fit right in. He earned the NFL’s sixth-best receiving grade on quick passes of 2.0 seconds or less, and he generated the league’s second-best passer rating (136.4) on those same throws. While the Raiders failed to make the postseason this year, it’s clear they have one of the NFL’s rising slot receivers in Hunter Renfrow.
With Renfrow and Darren Waller on the roster, the Raiders have two incredible inside threats. Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden will need to find receivers this offseason that complement their skill sets. But Renfrow has shown that he can do enough to carry the offense, if needed.
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