Raiders first-quarter awards: MVP, LVP, MIP, and more
By Levi Dombro
Most Improved Player: Jakorian Bennett
It was assumed that Bennett would be in a camp battle with veteran cornerback Brandon Facyson for the third cornerback spot.
But Facyson suffered an undisclosed injury, was subsequently released, and Bennett never looked back.
Not only is Bennett a starting-caliber player, but he has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL so far through five games.
He leads the team and is fifth in the NFL in pass deflections, recording six PBUs through five contests.
Not only this, but he has been unstoppable on third down, as opposing QBs are becoming afraid to target him in these situations.
He only has nine total tackles so far this season, which as a corner, means the ball is not coming your way that often.
Last season, Bennett started off strong in the preseason before losing his job in the early going. He was never able to recover and find his way back into the lineup, but the 2024 season has been a different story for the second-year corner.