Jakorian Bennett NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Las Vegas Raiders' CB
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 188
HAND: 9 1/8"
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ARM: 31 ⅞"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.30
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: 40.5
BROAD: 11'1"
POSITIVES
— Explosive athlete with great top-end speed to carry receivers vertically. Also shows good closing speed on crossing routes and out of breaks.
— Does a good job of sinking his hips. Smooth transition when asked to stop and go.
— Triggers quickly and shows very good physicality when playing screens, the short game and the run.
NEGATIVES
— Comes into tackles too high and out of control at times. Also takes below-average angles, leading to arm tackles and missed tackles.
— Can be too handsy and overly physical in coverage, pulling him out of ideal positions.
— Below-average ball skills and hands. Struggles to play above the rim, loses the man and ball.
2022 STATISTICS
— 12 G, 39 TOT, 2 INT, 11 PBU
NOTES
— 2022 Dukes Mayo Bowl MVP
— 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl
— 2022 and 2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
OVERALL
Jakorian Bennett is the other half of the impressive Maryland cornerback duo. He's a physical defender who has the speed and versatility to play in any scheme.
As a cover defender, Bennett has the ability to play from both press and off coverage. When in press man, he often chooses to match the release off the line instead of mirroring to stay in front. As the receiver works down the field, Bennett likes to get his hands on and ride along for control. That led to many pass interference calls, which he'll need to clean up in the NFL.
Bennett plays with loose hips and has shown the ability to quickly sink his hips. He also has quick acceleration to get back to top speed on double-moves. As he continues to work downfield with the receiver, he gets into their pocket and pushes them toward the sideline.
When playing the ball, Bennett gets his head around and plays with great timing when breaking up passes. However, he struggles with high-pointing the ball and playing both the man and ball at the same time. Though he has some decent anticipation for routes, he has below-average hands to capitalize on possible interceptions. He had chances to add onto his interception total for this season, but he dropped those opportunities.
When playing the run, Bennett sees what is in front of him and reacts accordingly. When on a nub side, he quickly inserts himself into the run game, though he occasionally gives up his leverage on the edge. He does a very good job of taking on blockers to set the edge.
As a tackler, Bennett does his best work when playing in limited space, where he can run through ball-carriers. When coming from a distance, he struggles with taking proper angles and coming to balance. He often runs up to the ball-carrier with high pad level and out of control, leading to some missed tackles.
Ultimately, Bennett has lot of skills and traits that could make him successful in the NFL. He needs to continue working on his ball skills downfield and his tackling. He's a potential role player who might find himself in a starting role a few years into his career.
GRADE: 6.4 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)
OVERALL RANK: 152
POSITION RANK: CB21
PRO COMPARISON: Jamel Dean
Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings
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