Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes Will Play in Upcoming ReliaQuest Bowl

Forbes will play in his final game as a Bulldog next week.

Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes still has unfinished business with the Bulldogs.

The defensive back shared that he will be playing in his team's upcoming ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois. Forbes declared for the 2023 NFL Draft earlier this month, and in an age where many eventual professional stars choose to sit out postseason bowl games, he serves as an exception. 

Forbes had a record-setting year, becoming the FBS leader in career pick-sixes with six over three years. The junior out of Grenada High School returned three of his six interceptions for touchdowns this season while also recording 39 total tackles, 15 passes defended, one tackle-for-loss and a blocked field goal.

Forbes' hard work and explosive plays on defense did not go unnoticed. He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week and the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after an impressive outing against Texas A&M. He ended the season as an AP Second-Team All-American and received first-team All-SEC honors from conference coaches and multiple other outlets.

The ReliaQuest Bowl will begin on Jan. 2 at 11 a.m. CT. After the season officially comes to a close, Forbes will begin preparing for the NFL Draft, which begins on April 27.