Saints Draft: One of the more underrated prospects in the secondary
The New Orleans Saints draft is one of the more difficult ones to assess because of their pick situation. Not only do they not have a first-round pick, but we don't know if they will get more picks this offseason after trading away Sean Payton, or not. Having a first-round pick could completely change who […]
The New Orleans Saints draft is one of the more difficult ones to assess because of their pick situation. Not only do they not have a first-round pick, but we don't know if they will get more picks this offseason after trading away Sean Payton, or not.
Having a first-round pick could completely change who or what they target with their second-round pick. For now, though, we will focus on pick 40 and the things they could do with that pick.
The Saints need a little bit of everything. They need help in the secondary in terms of their defense. With pick number 40, they could take one of the more underrated guys in the draft that is in the secondary.
Emmanuel Forbes has the size, skill set, and a pretty cool name. Oh, and he was really good at football at Mississippi State. The 47th-ranked prospect by Pro Football Focus is the seventh-ranked cornerback. But, I think he is much better than that.
Forbes has everything a team like the Saints would love on their defense. Forbes has started for the Bulldogs since he was a true freshman two seasons ago, so the experience is also there. This year, he was probably their best defensive player.
Forbes finished his career with 14 interceptions and allowed a 44.7 passer rating when targeted. Forbes is one of the best ball hawks in the draft and played absolutely great in coverage as he finished with a grade of 89.3.
In 2022 he had nine forced incompletions and 12 coverage stops. He allowed just 284 receiving yards on 58 targets and 31 receptions, which is pretty good.
The biggest thing that will intrigue teams with Forbes is its size. Cornerbacks are usually around 5'10", but Forbes is 6'0". When they are usually taller, most of the time speed and release off a break is an issue. That isn't really an issue with Forbes.
Forbes best game was against Arkansas, where he finished with an overall PFF grade of 90.7, which is very good, to say the least.
The Saints drafted Alonte Taylor last year, and he worked pretty well for them at times. They could pair these two young guys together and have a dynamic duo in a few years, or even next year.
Featured Image Via Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
