At this point last year, NFL scouts saw Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette as a talented but unreliable prospect with a boundary-level top-100 draft pick. However, he benefited from his final year in Columbus and turned himself into a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Every year, there are examples of players who show a lot of development in their last college seasons and enjoy a substantial boost-up concept boards, like no. 1 general pick Joe Burrow is the most notable in recent memory.
Unfortunately for a number of Big Ten and Pac-12 players this year, that chance was taken from them.
Let me be clear, there were thousands of players deeply affected by the Big Ten and Pac-12 decisions not to play football this fall, not just those with a professional future. But judging by the aftermath from an NFL perspective, several players would have benefited far more than others with tape from the 2020 season.
This is an ongoing situation …
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