Raiders' Ricky Manning Jr.: Jakorian Bennett No Longer 'Under Fire'

Las Vegas Raiders cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning Jr. has an up-and-coming cornerback in his room in Jakorian Bennett.

Sep 24, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0) breaks up a pass attempt to Pittsburgh Steelers guard Spencer Anderson (74) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Things were looking quite promising for Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett when he started the first four games as a rookie last season.

But Bennett would become limited by injuries throughout the rest of the season, starting with a hamstring injury that had him miss Week 5. He then missed Week 7 with a shoulder injury and was also inactive for Las Vegas' home matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12.

It got to the point where Bennett was only taking special teams snaps in the final three weeks of the season.

As Bennett heads into Year 2, though, Raiders cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning Jr. is optimistic about what's in store for the young cornerback.

"I think the most important thing for him now is he's not under fire," Manning told reporters on Tuesday. "Being a rookie, you're thrown out there -- I've been in that same situation -- you're under fire, and you're still learning as you're going. Now, he has a way higher understanding of the defense, of Coach Graham, how he calls it, and of the game. So, it's a little bit slowed down for him, so now, he can really work on that development, he can really get better on the things he needs to focus on.

"And he's doing that. He's continuing to work. Is he ready? Heck yeah. We still got time to go, though. We still got time to prepare, and every day, we're trying to get better. Each and every guy in that room, no matter where they're at. And he's a part of that, too."

The Raiders selected Bennett in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He would play 14 games in his rookie season, recording 32 tackles and three passes defensed.

Bennett was a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention in his final two seasons at Maryland. In those two seasons, he led the FBS in passes defensed with 29.

With former Raiders cornerback Amik Robertson out of the mix, Bennett could very well be inserted back into a more impactful role for the Silver and Black in 2024.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.