HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 183

HAND: 8½"

ARM: 32"

WINGSPAN: 75⅝"

40-YARD DASH: 4.51

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

POSITIVES

— Fluid athlete who displays quick feet to transition and smooth hips to turn and run. Has the lateral movement to mirror receivers at the line of scrimmage, combined with the speed to run with most receivers.

— Scheme flexibility to play man and zone coverage. Does a good job of staying on top of routes in zone, with the proper spacing when playing underneath.

— Willing tackler who isn't afraid to get involved in the run game. Generally looks to hit the thigh pads to cut down ball-carriers at the legs.

NEGATIVES

— Thin-framed athlete. Has the room to add bulk but lacks desired functional strength. Has struggled to fight through bigger receivers at the catch point and blockers in the open field.

— Can be too handsy when working downfield. Likes to grab and hold, leading to too many pass interference calls.

2023 STATISTICS

— 9 G, 35 TOT, 1.5 TFL, 4 PD, 1 FF

NOTES

— 32 career starts

— 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— 2022 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll

— 2021 SEC Academic Honor Roll

— 2020-21 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

OVERALL

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is an average-size corner with long arms and great overall athleticism. He was an immediate starter his freshman season, playing in 10 games. His sophomore year was derailed by injuries, but he was able to come back for the 2022 season and produce 12 pass breakups. The multi-year starter then asserted himself as Missouri's top cornerback in 2023.

As a pass defender, Rakestraw uses his physicality and length to his advantage. He does a very good job of using his lateral movement skills to mirror and his long arms to control receivers in press. Rakestraw likes to get hands-on and disrupt routes as he works down the field. He has the fluidity to sink his hips and the foot quickness to transition out of breaks, although he often allows too much separation.

While working down the field, Rakestraw has the speed to stay in position, but he allows receivers to get on top of him in man coverage at times. Not one to capitalize on misplaced throws, he does a very good job of getting his hand in to swat the ball away. Rakestraw is generally calm with the ball in the air, but he often chooses to face guard and doesn't get his head around to locate the ball.

When defending the run, Rakestraw does a great job of identifying the play and quickly triggers to get in the mix. He shows off his physicality to take on blocks, and he does a great job of using his quickness to beat the block when given space.

Rakestraw's issues arise when he's matched against bigger blockers, as he can be walled off and forced to fight through stronger athletes. He can be a questionable tackler at times, often sitting down in space and allowing the ball-carrier to come barreling down on him. When he attacks the ball-carrier, he often looks to strike first and cut the legs out from the runner.

Rakestraw is a skillful cornerback who has a lot of tools to work with. He will need to continue to work on his overall strength and sharpen his technique up for the NFL. He should serve as immediate depth, but he could find his way onto the field as a starter within a few years into his NFL career.

GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 97

POSITION RANK: CB13

PRO COMPARISON: Marco Wilson

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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