Las Vegas Raiders 2023 NFL Draft: Early Superlatives
By Brad Weiss
Las Vegas Raiders 2023 NFL Draft: Early Superlatives
Best Value Pick: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
The Las Vegas Raiders went into Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft holding the No. 109 overall pick, but they quickly moved up before a selection was even made. Las Vegas did not want to wait around very long to select on Day 3, picking second overall on Saturday and bringing in who I feel is the best value pick of the draft.
Jakorian Bennett is the cornerback that the Raiders fans were clamoring for across the first two days of the 2023 NFL Draft, and should fight for a starting job as a rookie. Las Vegas added quality depth cornerbacks via free agency this offseason, but were still in need of a potential starter, and Bennett can be just that for them in Year 1.
Bennett's athleticism is off the charts, as he ran a 4.30 40-yard dash during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. He also is a great story, as he had to go the JUCO route to get noticed by Division I schools, and while former Maryland teammate Deonte Banks got most of the pre-draft noise, Bennett is in a position to make a big impact for the Silver and Black early on.