Emmanuel Forbes NFL Draft Overview
Position: CB
Height: 6′-1″
Weight: 166 pounds
School: Mississippi State University
2023 NFL Draft: Emmanuel Forbes Scouting Report
Emmanuel Forbes arrived at Mississippi State after starring in baseball, basketball, and football at Grenada High School 70 miles west of Starkville. Playing various sports would pay dividends in his role as a starting cornerback for the Bulldogs. The four-star recruit started as a true freshman and was immediately thrust into a starring role in the defensive backfield. The college football world officially took notice in 2020 after tying for third in the FBS with five interceptions and returning a nation-best three for scores. Also, he posted 44 tackles in 11 games (nine starts). Forbes followed up his freshman campaign with solid play and an All-SEC selection in 2021 in which he had three interceptions and started 13 games. In his final college season in 2022, Forbes had six interceptions, returning three for scores and setting an FBS record with six pick-sixes during his career.
Strengths
- Excels in press coverage;
- Plays with smooth technique in zone coverage;
- Above average pre-snap recognition;
- Very instinctual player;
- Swings arm through the ball at the catch point to dislodge it;
- Uses his length as an effective recovery tool;
- Can be difficult to throw over the top of him;
- Extremely productive college career.
Weaknesses
- Below average coordination of feet to match release;
- Has issues staying in the moment at breakpoints;
- Aggressiveness makes him a target on double moves;
- Needs to play more disciplined;
- Very slight build for an NFL player;
- Grab tackler that lacks play strength.
NFL Comparison: Cam Dantzler
Teams With Need At Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts
Projection: Late Round 1
Bottom Line on Emmanuel Forbes
Don’t let Forbes’s small frame fool you. He has the innate ability to find the ball in the air and hits like a freight train. His versatility in coverage should make him an asset to any team with needs on the boundary. The variety of coverage he played in college will serve him well in the NFL. Forbes can also be on an island against an opposing team’s number-one wide receiver. For being so slight of build, Forbes is durable and never missed a game in college due to injury. If professional evaluators can get past some of these size concerns, the team that takes him will find a smart and rugged ballhawk that can lock down the best offensive playmakers the league has to offer.
*Stats and research courtesy of NFL.com and The Draft Network (TDN).
Main Photo: Matt Bush – USA TODAY Sports
