Jakorian Bennett Complete NFL Draft Profile (Maryland DB Could Be Day 3 Steal)

Maryland's Jakorian Bennett has been one of the Big Ten's best shutdown defensive backs over the last three years, earning him some well-deserved hype ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. He might not have the most hype in the draft class, but that doesn't mean he can't be a reliable contributor at the professional level one day.

Here's everything you need to know about Jakorian Bennett heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

Jakorian Bennett Draft Stock & Mock Draft Projections

Mock draft sources accurate as of 4/18: Walter Football, Sporting News, Draft Tek, Pro Football Network, ESPN.

Projected Draft Round: Round 4 (2), Round 5 (2), Round 6 (1)
Projected Team: Texans (2), Browns (1), Buccaneers (1), Panthers (1)

Jakorian Bennett Scouting Report

Jakorian Bennett was a quarterback's worst nightmare during his final season at Maryland. The Terrapins DB finished third in the Big Ten with 11 broken-up passes, adding a pair of interceptions along the way. Opposing QBs also had an underwhelming 57.5 rating when targeting Bennett.

Bennett has tremendous athleticism, proven by his soaring leaping ability and blistering speed. He knows how to change direction quickly when needed and can keep up with the best wideouts out there. Coaches will love how disciplined he is, rarely taking penalties due to a solid football IQ.

There are things that Bennett must work on, though. He's been criticized in the past for not having the smoothest footwork, sometimes slowing down too much when the ball nears him. And despite his ability to break up passes, he rarely ends up with an INT in his hands.

Jakorian Bennett NFL Draft Prediction

Chances are that if Jakorian Bennett caught more interceptions, his draft stock would be higher. Instead, it looks likely that he'll be a Day 3 selection, leaving the board anywhere between the fourth and sixth rounds, as per the highlighted mock drafts.

One team that I could see Bennett joining is the LA Rams, who have eight selections to make on Day 3. With only four cornerbacks on their roster according to Spotrac, it makes sense for the Rams to take a swing on the Maryland product — especially with all of their late draft capital.

The Rams often use zone coverage on defense, which is an area where Bennett excels. With defensive coordinator Raheem Morris coaching him, Bennett could be a valuable contributor over the next few years. It's a low-risk, high-reward opportunity.

Prediction: LA Rams (Round 5, 167th overall)

Check out more NFL Draft content from The Duel:

Jakorian Bennett NFL Combine Results

Jakorian Bennett Maryland Stats

Jakorian Bennett Maryland Highlights

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.