An NFL Team Can Win With Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Watching eight games of Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. was fun.

Why?

It’s because he plays like he wants to win, and there aren’t any substitutes for that high-priority trait.

When my NFL mentor ran a college scouting department in the league he told me that he challenged his staff with a bottom-line question, “Can this guy help us win?”

The resounding answer with Rakestraw is yes from my study.

All the technical scouting jargon aside, this dude is a pure football player and the competitive edge he demonstrates game after game covers up his “football sins” on film.

Listen, there are no ’10s,’ I learned that reading Tony Razzano’s book, Secrets of an NFL Scout, back when I was 17 years old. That was the book I self-taught myself how to do this. Every prospect has flaws.

However, the more I watch and talk about Rakestraw, the more I’m talking myself into this one.

There’s all sorts of excuses out there

Does he get beat sometimes?

Yes.

Did he suffer a torn ACL in October 2021?

Yes.

Did he run a 4.51 (40-yard-dash) at the NFL Scouting Combine?

Yes.

At the Combine did he suffer a groin injury?

Yes.

Did he miss four games in 2023 with groin and abdomen injuries?

Yes.

Did he have surgery for a core muscle injury after the 2023 season that caused him to miss the Senior Bowl?

Yes.

Is he 183 pounds?

Yes.

Was his 2024 Combine cornerback ranking No. 17?

Yes.

How do I interpret that data?

It depends on what the prospect shows on film. Every play on film and every piece of information is a clue.

However, when I watch Rakestraw, I see someone who doesn’t fit the traditional scouting boxes. I see someone who would be a perfect fit with the Philadelphia Eagles.

ATTACKING NATURE

This guy will fly in and attack a running back like he stole his lunch ⎯and I haven’t seen that from many cornerbacks. Most of them avoid making tackles like the plague.

On film ⎯Rakestraw plays faster and bigger than he is. He has short-term memory and he has shown he can overcome past injuries and bounce back.

There’s also this cool story about how he overcame his torn ACL.

How does the league interpret the data?

One of the things I found intriguing about Rakestraw was how NFL.com viewed Rakestraw’s testing numbers at the Combine.

What was Rakestraw’s response to the 4.51 (40-yard-dash) he ran at the Combine?

I can’t bet against a guy like this, and with 32/32 NFL teams throwing more than 50% of the time, cornerback is uber-important.

I can however mitigate the injury risk. As an evaluator, I have to, it’s kept him off the field ⎯extensively.

#2 Ennis Rakestraw Jr. 5-foot-11, 183 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2024 NFL Draft Grade: Second-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 22.9% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 7, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed: Auburn, Kansas State, and Florida (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2023 game film reviewed: Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Kansas State and Tennessee

2023 stats: 35 tackles (24 solo), 11 assists, 4 passes defended, 0 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

Pro Football Focus (2023): 277 coverage snaps, 28 targets, 18 receptions

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Tenacious and tough corner with long arms, a thin frame, hip rigidity, and good straight-line speed, but lacks short-area burst. High-effort prospect. Aggressive. Can serve the role as a nickel or No. 2 corner. Played mostly press-man, some off-man, and a little zone. Effortless initial transition in press. Active. Alert. Spring in his step. Jumpy. Quiet feet. Physical and competitive on vertical and horizontal straight-line routes. Has noticeable straight-line acceleration. Provided too much cushion or hip tightness costing him on most break-point routes. Can get out of control or look lost at times in coverage. Inconsistent technique gives up too much spacing at times. Questionable ball instincts. Provides excellent pass and run support. Tackling is important to him. Good open-field tackler. Physicality is his game. Plays faster than his time. Hits like he is bigger than he is.

Final words

Rakestraw plays like a run-and-hit linebacker trapped in a cornerback’s body.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.