After addressing their defensive front in the first 3 rounds, the Raiders made their way to the back-end of their defense in round 4.
Jakorian Bennett, cornerback out of Maryland, takes his 4.3 40 time and a 40+ inch vertical jump, to a Raiders secondary that produced the fewest amount of interceptions in the NFL last season.
“Speed kills,” said Bennett moments after being drafted. “That makes a receiver’s job tougher, knowing he has to beat me with the route and not just vertically.”
Despite showing off his athleticism at the NFL Draft Combine, Bennett fell to the 104th pick due to a lack of height. Much like the Raiders late 3rd round pick in wide receiver Tre Tucker, Las Vegas believes Bennett’s speed will eventually produce at the next level.
At 5’10” Bennett figures to receive some work in the slot, though his speed, strength and leaping ability may also allow him to compete with bigger receivers on the outside.
Like his fellow draft-mate, Tre Tucker, Bennett tries to overcome size with heart and tenacity.
“I’m always trying to play aggressive,” said Bennett. “I’m always trying to be the more aggressive person. I’m trying to win each and every battle.”
In his final two seasons, Bennett finished his collegiate career strong, recording 5 interceptions and 22 pass deflections over his last 23 games at Maryland.
Competing and winning battles is exactly what the Raiders need Bennett to do for a secondary that struggled mightily against the pass–ranking 29th in yardage and 19th in touchdowns allowed in 2022.
