2023 NFL Profile: CB Emmanuel Forbes

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• When he takes the field, former Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes becomes the player that quarterbacks fear. The six-foot-one, 170-pound defensive back tallied fourteen interceptions, six of which went for touchdowns. Additionally, the Grenada, MS native picked on standout quarterbacks and receivers. During his trek to the SEC record books, Forbes baited quarterbacks into making unwise decisions. While earning All-SEC honors over the past two seasons, the 2022 Consensus All-American profiles as an immediate starter with room still to improve.

Strengths

No cornerback during this or the last several drafts flashes the ball skills as Emmanuel Forbes. He turns 50/50 balls into 70/30 in his favor. With long levers and a quick jump, the prospect hangs vertically with any receiver. Meanwhile, on underneath patterns, Forbes will grant a wideout a step more space, easily closing the gap with an excellent first step downhill. Not to mention, on vertical routes, the prospect sticks hip-to-hip, stride for stride with the fastest wideouts. With all of these tools, brings a hyperaggressive style that loves to challenge wideouts and quarterbacks alike.

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Weaknesses

When you look at the film, the traits stand out, and so do three main, rather troublesome flaws. Granted, Forbes possesses most of the physical traits that NFL teams seek in a cornerback. However, Forbes’ angular frame does not hold substantive weight. During the combine, he weighed 166 pounds. Yesterday’s Pro Day saw him tip the scales at 170 pounds. Bigger outside receivers will attempt to body him at the snap and down the field. For the prospect gaining 12-15 pounds of quality size must happen. In addition, the aforementioned hyperaggression, at the next level could result in a share of penalty flags. Lastly, Forbes’ tackling technique needs serious retooling. He lurches and lunges without a solid base and momentum heading into the target. Hours of drilling and hard coaching will fix this.

Ideal Role

With Forbes, whoever drafts him can take one of two equal but diverse paths. On one hand, if the organization feels that he can overcome the tackling woes and tone down the aggression in one summer, look for him to compete for a starting job. In contrast, a more cautious team can drop him into the slot and into subpackage situations. In that case, Forbes can earn valuable film reps while he smoothes out the rough edges on his way to becoming an outside wideout. By the same token, Forbes will welcome each challenge in true Mississippi State style. From Fred Smoot to Darius Slay, Forbes is a blend of both former Pro Bowlers.

Potential Fits

Two teams that bolt to mind as far as best fits for the prospect are Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Rams for very different reasons. For the Rams,  Jalen Ramsey’s departure leaves a crater-like hole in the back end of their defense. Forbes gives Los Angeles a corner, capable of starting Day One, and being able to benefit from the Rams’ pass rush forcing early passes. Then again, the Cincinnati Bengals need, desperately need reliable corner play. How much longer can they rely on Eli Apple? Over the past two seasons, Apple allowed six total touchdowns and missed nineteen tackles. Teams will go out of their way to run directly at him or force him to make plays. Forbes provides an immediate upgrade.