Bengals are an ideal team for Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes
If you ask 10 people who follow the NFL Draft what makes a player worth a first-round pick, you'll likely get close to 10 different definitions. The tape is the indisputable king. Being a competent football player is a requirement for, well, to continue being a competent football player. In a perfect world, tape would […]
If you ask 10 people who follow the NFL Draft what makes a player worth a first-round pick, you'll likely get close to 10 different definitions.
The tape is the indisputable king. Being a competent football player is a requirement for, well, to continue being a competent football player. In a perfect world, tape would be objective to everyone, but it's not. Data with clear interpretations steers clear of any subjectivity, but people are imperfect and value things differently. It leads to everyone having their own unique process, using what makes them most comfortable.
A player weighing less than 170 pounds is objectively skinny. Emmanuel Forbes can't hide around that fact.
Despite his extremely slim frame, the former Mississippi State cornerback is a first-round hopeful simply because of how good of a player he is. And it's very likely the Cincinnati Bengals agree.
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the Bengals are meeting with Forbes for the second time this offseason after initially interviewing him at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.
It's not an exaggeration to say that Forbes' weight is the only serious negative in his profile. As a cover corner, he checks all the boxes. He mirrors well, he tracks the ball splendidly, and closes down in zone at a high level.
And despite his lack of density, he's physical. He's not afraid to get in the face of the receiver.
"Tall, lengthy corner. Has the appearance of a dominant press man corner. Has the arms to blanket receivers and excel in press. Needs refinement in his technique in jamming a receiver. Too often receivers are able to get by him quite quickly when he is jamming. Saw him get on top of routes and dictate their tempo." – A to Z Sports' Tyler Browning on Forbes
That's what the tape says. What does the data say?
Forbes ranks in the 98th percentile in solo tackle market share. That means he accounted for an extremely high percentage of his team's tackles during his best year on an SEC defense. He also ranked in the 77th percentile in pass deflection market share.
The vast majority of great NFL cornerbacks all had above average ball production from their college days. Forbes' 14 career interceptions and 20 career passes defensed clearly showcase his ball skills, but his willingness to get in on plays as a tackler can't go unnoticed if so much of the conversation surrounds his lack of size. The NFL may be a different beast, but you can't find a higher propensity of NFL-ready athletes than the SEC.
Let's be real. Forbes will have to gain some weight in the next few years. He'll face bigger receivers who know how to time their releases and leverage themselves properly against his coverage to capitalize on the size advantage. Forbes not only has the frame (32.25" arms) to fill out some weight, he's also still pretty young at 22 years old. The potential for him to add muscle mass is very real.
Not only could the Bengals use a talent like Forbes, they provide the best situation for him to grow stronger behind the scenes before he's counted on to start. He can realistically take over for Chidobe Awuzie in 2024 as the starter opposite of Cam Taylor-Britt after spending his rookie season developing and growing stronger in an NFL strength program.
The idea of adding a top-tier cornerback for the future presents a decent counter to drafting a player not expected to contribute much as a rookie. Bengals fans will want an immediate impact addition with the 28th overall pick, but if Forbes were 195 instead of 165, there's no chance he'd be available to them.
At the very least, Cincinnati appears interested in capitalizing on such an opportunity.
