Jakorian Bennett Draft Profile and Scouting Report

 

 

Jakorian Bennett Scouting Report: Maryland Terrapins, Cornerback, #2

 

 

2023 NFL Draft Measurements

5’11” / 195 lbs.

Jakorian Bennett 40-Time – 4.35 (estimate)

 

 

Jakorian Bennett Draft Profile

Bennett is a former unrated prospect out of McGill Toolen High School in Mobile, Alabama. According to 247sports, he decided to take his talent to Hutchinson Community College to help get recognized. After spending two seasons with the Blue Dragons, he decided to hit the transfer portal. He was graded as a 3-star JUCO player and the 10th-best corner in the JUCO transfer portal. A player he was ranked behind in this class was Rejzohn Wright who went to Oregon State. After receiving 25 offers, he decided to play for the Terrapins in Maryland.

Bennett did not play many snaps in his first season for the Terrapins. He played in 4 games and recorded 6 tackles and 2 PBUs. During his 2021 season, he got to see a lot more of the field. In 11 games, he had 24 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 11 PBUs. As an avid watcher of the Big Ten, Bennett caught my eye a lot during this season. Finally, in this last season, he played in 11 games and had 39 tackles, 1 interception, and 10 PBUs. After seeing what he was able to do in the Big Ten, I am excited to see how he develops in the NFL. Also, I am curious to see how his performance at the Combine impacts his draft stock.

 

Jakorian Bennett Strengths

 

Man Coverage

Along with his teammate Deonte Banks, Bennett is very gifted in man coverage. When lined up in soft coverage, he does a good job of anticipating when the receiver in going to break in their route. Additionally, he is good at staying with his target throughout their route especially deep down the field. This is due to his amazing acceleration and speed to stay glued to the hips of the receiver. Although he doesn’t have the best hip mobility, his speed definitely makes up for it. He also does a good job of keeping his hand on the receiver, forcing them to give up ground.

 

Ball Skills

When in coverage, I was impressed with Bennett’s ability to be in the perfect position to make a play. If the ball is thrown his way, he does a good job of going up and meeting the ball at its catch point. He has the grip strength needed to make the catch in congested areas. But if he cannot come down with it, he is also good at breaking up the pass and forcing an incompletion.

 

Athleticism

The most impressive part of Bennett’s game is his athleticism. In man coverage, he has good foot speed to stay with the receiver during their route stem. When they make a break in their route, he can explode in another direction. This allows him to stay glued to their hips and force the QB to throw the ball elsewhere. He is also good at disrupting screen plays due to his amazing closeout speed. Bennett also knows how to use every aspect of his athleticism to win. In coverage, he can easily adjust his leverage so he can make a play on the ball.

 

Zone Coverage

In zone coverage, Bennett does a good job of quickly dropping back into coverage. Some scouts have noted that they are concerned about his foot speed, personally, I don’t see it. While dropping back into coverage, he does a good job of keeping his eye on the QB. Additionally, if the ball comes his way he can quickly react and jump the route.

 

Jakorian Bennett Weaknesses

 

Hip Mobility

The biggest concern surrounding his game is his hip mobility. When he has his hips squared to the line, he struggles to flip his hips open and stay with his target. That is partially why you will often see him lined up with outside leverage with his hips facing the QB. This forces the receiver to play toward the middle of the field. If they do so, Bennett can use his quickness to close out on them and make a play.

 

Play Strength

Unlike his teammate Deonte Banks, Bennett struggles at using his physicality to win matchups. When lined up in press coverage, Bennett often bailed out of coverage instead of jamming the receiver at the line. If he does punch the receiver after the snap, it doesn’t do enough to knock the receiver off balance. I also noticed that he lacks play strength when tackling. In open space, he tries to deliver powerful hits. In doing so, his tackle can be easily shed if he doesn’t make perfect contact.

 

Jakorian Bennett Draft Stock

Prior to the NFL Combine, nflmockdraftdatabase has Bennett as the 178th best player in the draft. According to this ranking, he would be a 5th-round pick. Personally, I think that he has a chance to go in the backend of the 4th. If he performs well at the Combine, he could rise to the early 4th round.

 

Final Thoughts on Jakorian Bennett Scouting Report

Jakorian Bennett was one of the most disruptive corners in the Big Ten the past two seasons. Regardless of where he lines up on the field, you can rely on him to do his job in man and zone coverage. If the ball comes his way, he does a good job of getting in the right position to disrupt the pass. Before consistently seeing the field in the NFL, he needs to work on his hip mobility and play strength. This would make him less predictable and more dangerous in the NFL.

 

Jakorian Bennett Player Comparison

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Darren Hall.

 

 

Jakorian Bennett Scouting Report and Draft Profile Analyst – Matthew Lewis