2024 NFL Draft: 6 Players Who Would Be Huge Round 1 Mistakes | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
William Burgess Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is a cornerback prospect who has been getting some first-round love by mock drafters. He shows up on nearly a quarter of first-round mocks, per NFL Mock Draft Database.
Those who see him as a first-round talent love Rakestraw's movement skills and willingness to tackle. B/R scout Cory Giddings considers both to be strengths in his scouting report.
However, it's fair to wonder how much that willingness is going to matter in the NFL. At 5'11", 183 pounds, Rakestraw is on the thinner side. Emmanuel Forbes was a size outlier in last season's draft, but his struggles as a rookie (103.0 passer rating allowed, 15.6 percent missed tackle rate) should have teams thinking twice about adding smaller cornerbacks.
Rakestraw is a fiery competitor, but Giddings also noted that he "can be too handsy when working downfield. Likes to grab and hold, leading to too many pass interference calls."