The Las Vegas Raiders took a big risk by not being aggressive in adding a starting-level cornerback this offseason. That's starting to look like a stroke of genius thanks to Jakorian Bennett.
The former fourth-round pick went into last season as a Week 1 starter but was quickly benched due to poor play. He had another great training camp, which led to him being a Week 1 starter once again. However, this time he has proven to be up for the task.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox went through every team and named their hidden gem. Bennett earned the title for the Raiders.
"Bennett has appeared in all four games with two starts and has recorded seven tackles and five passes defended," Knox wrote. "In coverage, he's allowed an opposing passer rating of only 71.5. The Raiders probably won't be inclined to pull him off the field often the rest of the way."
Bennett looks like a different player this year. He's not only blanketing wide receivers, but he's also making pass breakups in key moments. He's always had the size and athleticism to be an elite cornerback and it looks like he's finally put it all together.
He's arguably been more impressive than Jack Jones this season, who many expected to be an All-Pro-level player. Now, it's still early in the year and the Raiders haven't faced great passing attacks yet.
The biggest test will come between Weeks 7 through 11 when Las Vegas will be facing some of the best quarterbacks and wide receivers in the NFL. If Bennett can hold his own through that stretch, the Raiders may have a star on their hands. The team has had such a hard time solidifying the cornerback position. The Jones and Bennett duo has shown some real promise and they're both very young. The Raiders might have their cornerback duo of the future, which allows them to use their resources to sure-up other positions.