Hunter Renfrow continues to fine-tune his craft

Raiders’ wide receiver Hunter Renfrow was keeping track of things he wanted to tweak throughout his sophomore season to better develop his offseason curriculum.

His notebook filled up quickly.

“I had a list,” he said. “It was just things over the course of the year I wanted to get better at. It kind of got longer and longer as the season went along.”

As he enters his third year out of Clemson, the third-down specialist believes he was able to narrow that list and get to work on areas that should help him take another step forward.

“You can get too worried about so many things that you don’t focus on a few,” he said after practice during voluntary OTAs on Wednesday. “So my big thing is to really hone in and focus on a few things.”

Renfrow had 56 catches for 656 yards and two touchdowns last season, picking up 32 first downs and averaging 8.5 yards per target, just as he did as a rookie.

He hopes to improve on all of his numbers this season.

In order to reach that level, Renfrow went to work on the main areas he had identified.

“I think I can attack the football better,” he said. “Sometimes I let it get to my body and get passive. Also, I do a lot of underneath stuff. So getting a good plan and watching a lot of guys and how they attack so as you get later in the season, you’re not doing the same stuff. Those are kind of my big two things.”

Renfrow, who made a nice one-handed catch on a low throw in the flat on Wednesday, is getting a chance to put in additional work on those tweaks at the team facility this month, a big departure from last summer when the entire offseason program was virtual.

While he believes it’s possible to work on your game regardless of location, he does believe there are benefits to being together.

In addition to the camaraderie it helps build with teammates and coaches, it should help the newcomers accelerate the acclimation process with coach Jon Gruden’s intricate system.

“He runs a pretty intense offense that is so rewarding if you can get it down,” Renfrow said. “There’s not too many new guys coming in on offense, but the ones that are, you can kind of get them up to date and get going. It’s been good to have those guys.”

Good turnout

While there were fewer participants in Wednesday’s voluntary session than were present last week, a solid contingent of players was still present.

An unofficial count by the Review-Journal indicated 77 of the 89 players on the roster were on the field Wednesday, including veteran tight end Derek Carrier, who took part in the team stretch with no helmet before heading back to the locker room.

Running back Josh Jacobs, defensive end Yannick Ngakou and defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson were not seen for the second consecutive week.

Rookie linebacker Divine Deablo, who is still unsigned, was not on the field, though he is believed to have been in the team facility.

Also missing Wednesday were cornerbacks Damon Arnette, Nevin Lawson and Isaiah Johnson, linebacker James Onwualu, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, center Erik Magnuson, defensive end Kendall Vickers and wide receiver Zay Jones,

Cooling off

The team went through drills in triple-digit heat on Wednesday, but several players are hoping to enjoy sports in a much cooler environment later this week.

Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller hope to catch one of the Golden Knights’ playoff games at T-Mobile Arena when they return home against the Colorado Avalanche.

Waller said he expects the series to go seven games. Renfrow also hopes to attend his first live hockey game soon.

“They didn’t get off to the start they wanted, but it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” he said. “I’m excited to watch them. I hear the atmosphere is unbelievable. Vegas just gets up for it and that energy.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.