The Las Vegas Raiders' secondary was filled with uncertainty at the No. 2 cornerback spot heading into the 2024 season. The departure of Amik Robertson in free agency, Nate Hobbs primarily playing the slot, and the lack of offseason acquisitions in the secondary led to some concerns about the cornerbacks room in Las Vegas.
Instead of acquiring an established veteran or drafting a cornerback early in the draft, the Raiders put their faith in second-year cornerback Jakorian Bennett. The former Maryland standout had an abysmal rookie campaign but has flourished in Ricky Manning's system to kick off his sophomore season.
Through two games in 2024, Bennett has surrendered just three catches and 40 receiving yards with a 54.2 passer rating when targeted. The 24-year-old has also deflected three passes and allowed a 38% completion rate.
Though he has yet to pull down an interception this season, Bennett deserves a ton of credit for a game-shifting pick by linebacker Robert Spillane during Sunday's road upset win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The 2023 fourth-round pick's sticky coverage on Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman caused the ball to pop up in the air and into the arms of Spillane.
If Bennett can sustain his stellar play for the entire season, the Raiders' secondary could be one of the better units in the NFL.
Many were skeptical of Telesco's decision to not aggressively pursue defensive backs in free agency or the draft and stick with Bennett as a pivotal piece of the secondary, but his trust in the second-year cornerback has paid off through two contests.