The 2020 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Damon Arnette 2020 NFL Draft profile.

Background

Position: Cornerback

Size: 6-foot, 195 pounds

Class: Redshirt Senior

2019 stats: 35 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 8 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 touchdown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9opLBXpxna4&t=2s

Arnette spent five seasons at Ohio State after coming in as a four-star prospect. He made an impact and is now one of several corners garnering consideration for being selected decently early in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In his first season on campus, Arnette redshirted. He got his feet wet as a redshirt freshman with 21 total tackles and one interception. Arnette really became a playmaker for the defense in 2017, as he recorded 44 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes defended. Ohio State went 12-2 with a win over USC in the Cotton Bowl to end the season. In 2018, Arnette was solid once again with 40 total tackles, one interception and six passes defended. The Buckeyes defeated the Washington Huskies in the Rose Bowl to cap off the season. As one of the team leaders in 2019, Arnette had 35 total tackles, one interception and eight passes defended, as Ohio State made the College Football Playoff before losing to Clemson.

After developing for five years at Ohio State, Arnette is preparing for the next level. He is currently projected to be selected on day two of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Strengths

One of Arnette’s biggest strengths is his ability to be versatile for a defense. He has shown the ability to matchup with receivers on the outside with his size and cover the shiftier receivers in the slot with his quickness. This will allow teams that need both outside corners and nickel cornerbacks to look at selecting him. His versatility will also make it easier for defenses to keep him on the field, no matter the situation.

He has the strength already to be an NFL corner. This helps him matchup with the bigger receivers he had to cover on the outside. He will be able to press receivers and throw them off their routes. His strength will also allow him to battle for 50/50 balls and stay with receivers that are faster than him.

Arnette is a unique corner in that he is very good against the run. He is willing to play aggressively and pursue the ball carrier. His ability to shed blocks is among the best in the class for cornerbacks. Once he has shed blocks and pursued the ball carrier, Arnette is usually able to end the play with a solid tackle.

Weaknesses

Arnette does not have the best speed for a cornerback. His play speed is average at best and that showed up at the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.56 40-yard dash. He combats this with his good physicality, but this could lead to penalties in the NFL. Arnette may need safety help over the top because his lack of speed could lead him to being beat more often in the pros.

While he has experience in both man and zone coverage, he is more well-suited for a zone team. His length and physicality help him in zone, but he sometimes struggles staying with his man because of his lack of speed. He can play man to man, but opponents may be able to take advantage if he is consistently used in man coverage.

He had 22 passes defended in his career at Ohio State, which is a decent number, but he didn’t always get his hands on the ball for interceptions. Arnette had just five interceptions in his four seasons as a Buckeye. He was often in position to make plays, but can be a game changer if he can force more turnovers.

Projected Draft Range: Second Round Pick-Third Round Pick

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