The Raiders Still Have a Rising Asset in Second-Year CB

Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett had an up-and-down rookie season. As he enters his second season, the Raiders still have a young, talented player with potential.

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

The Las Vegas Raiders selected cornerback Jakorian Bennett in the fourth round of last year’s NFL Draft.

Bennett, while talented, had many ups and downs during his first season in the National Football League. He would start multiple games for the Raiders last season before his subpar play forced the Raiders to replace him, which eventually led to the emergence of cornerback Jack Jones.

Bennett struggled last season, as many rookie cornerbacks do. According to Pro Football Focus, Bennett received a 42.4 overall grade last season. While the Raiders coaching staff supported the young cornerback publicly last season and have continued to do so this offseason, he undoubtedly had much room to improve as he enters his second season in the NFL.

However, cornerback is arguably one of the most challenging positions, especially for a rookie. The Raiders are hoping that is the case for Bennett, as his improvement would likely solidify the Raiders’ defense as one of the best in the league this upcoming season.

Raiders cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning spoke earlier this offseason about how he believes the second-year cornerback will improve.

“I think the most important thing for him now is he's not under fire," Manning said. "You know, being a rookie and you’re thrown out there -- I've been in that same situation. You are under fire, and you’re still learning as you're going. 

“Now, he has a way higher understanding of the defense, of Coach [Patrick] Graham and how he calls it, and of the game,” Manning said. “So, it’s a little bit slowed down for him now, so now he can really work on that development, and he can really get better at 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 at, and he's part of that too.” 

It is often talked about how much progress players can make from their first season in the league to their second. The Raiders are hoping that is the case for Bennett, as his improvement would likely solidify the Raiders’ defense as one of the best in the league this upcoming season.

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.