'I'm just taking it one day at a time': Jakorian Bennett's confidence is growing in Year 2

Sep 19, 2024 at 05:34 PM

Carter Owen

Digital Content Associate

Jakorian Bennett nearly quit playing football as a high school student in Mobile, Alabama.

He was undersized and rarely got on the field, but his mom and coaches saw his potential and encouraged him to stick with it.

Now in his second season with the Silver and Black, the cornerback is coming off a key performance in Sunday's road win over the Baltimore Ravens, last year's AFC runners up.

Late in the second quarter on a third-and-eight play from the Raiders 38-yard line, Bennett broke up a deep pass down the sideline intended for Rashod Bateman. It forced Baltimore to settle for a field goal, which missed wide left. Five plays later, Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson nailed a 51-yard kick – one of his four made field goals on the day – to tie the game at six.

"All the work I've been putting in. Those plays are plays that I make at practice, so it's really nothing new," Bennett said.

With the Raiders down 16-6 in the third quarter, Bennett came through again. This time it was a second-and-six pass attempt to Bateman.

Bennett hit Bateman and deflected the ball, which found its way into Robert Spillane's hands for an interception. The ensuing drive resulted in an Alexander Mattison rushing touchdown and a huge confidence boost for an offense that had struggled early in the game.

"I love where JB [Jakorian Bennett] has gotten to," Head Coach Antonio Pierce said. He was kind of a grabby player last year getting some penalties uncalled for, and now he's just trusting his technique. Obviously, he can run with everybody, 4.2-4.3 speed there. But just the ability to play the ball down the field. Each and every time he makes a play, that's more confidence for us."

Those two plays were more than just strong reps in a 60-minute football game. They also represented the culmination of a long, productive offseason for a player looking to make a jump in his second NFL season.

"You could see it was a different look, to be honest, in his eyes when he came back in the spring in April, like 'OK, he's working hard,'" Pierce said. "You see him, and at the time we had [Brandon] Facyson here, and he was backing up Facyson and he just slowly kept chopping wood.

"Then we got in the preseason and he made that play down in Minnesota on the goal line when they went for it on fourth down. And then just each and every day at practice, he's going against Davante [Adams] and Jakobi [Meyers]. You can see the confidence growing."

In addition to added confidence, Bennett specifically mentioned play-recognition as an area he feels he's improved in.

"The NFL game is totally different from the college game," he said. "So, it kind of took that year for me to really process and see what they're doing, see what they like to do, how they try to line up and beat us."

In two games, Bennett has already matched his career number of passes defensed (three) from his rookie season, where he appeared in 14 games (four starts).

"You're seeing a young player mature in terms of his approach," defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said during training camp.

That matured approach has found its way into the film room, on the practice field and now, between the white lines on Sundays.

But for rookie offensive linemen DJ Glaze, who was Bennett's teammate at Maryland, this start to the season is just a continuation of the player and person he saw in College Park.

"I saw him do it at Maryland, always trying to perfect his craft. Saw him in camp working on different things, so it's no surprise to me that he's around the ball, getting pass breakups, knocking the ball out," Glaze said. "He works for it, he's been working for it and I'm excited to see him continue to go. ... A guy who works hard like that, you kind of gravitate to those kinds of people who always want to be the best version of themselves. It helps you be better."

As Bennett prepares for the team's home opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, he hasn't lost sight of the adversity he's been through on the way to play in front of a jam-packed Allegiant Stadium.

"It's definitely crazy," he said. "Only starting one year in high school, going JUCO, then to Maryland, it's definitely a blessing, especially to play on a team with a great fan base like the Raiders. I'm just taking it one day at a time, enjoying the moment and just taking in all the blessings."

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Las Vegas Raiders guard Cody Whitehair (65) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.