Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes 'Splendid Splinter,' Says Analyst

Emmanuel Forbes kicked off the Washington Commanders' draft class, which has received mixed reviews from pundits.
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It's been two weeks since the Washington Commanders began building their draft class, and they have received a mixed bag of reviews in regards to their picks.

ESPN joined in on those who liked the Commanders' class, giving them a "B" grade for their efforts.

"I liked who they added in Round 1. I've been calling cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (16) this draft's "Splendid Splinter," because of his frame," ESPN writes. "He is a thin 6-foot-1 and 166 pounds. All he does is make plays, though. He had six pick-sixes and 14 total interceptions in his college career. He should play early and often in Washington."

Forbes is a great start to the class and should be a big playmaker for the Commanders. Over his three years at Mississippi State, the 22-year-old forced 14 interceptions while tying the FBS record with six pick-sixes over his career.

But the Commanders also made moves outside of the first round, further fortifying the secondary and offensive line.

"The Commanders went back to the secondary in Round 2, picking my fourth-ranked safety Jartavius Martin (47), who played a lot as a nickel," ESPN writes. "They ranked 26th in takeaways last season (18), so they went all-in on needs. They also added two interior linemen with their next two picks. I thought they reached a round for center Ricky Stromberg (97), but the four-year starter is technically sound. Braeden Daniels (118) is light on his feet but undersized; he is my seventh-ranked guard."

As for where the Commanders could have made things better, drafting a signal caller with some more upside apart from Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett could have been an option.

"The quarterback question likely will linger into 2024, and I'm not sure Washington hit all of its needs outside of the secondary with this class," ESPN writes.

Time will tell whether the Commanders made smart choices in this year's draft, but if Washington fails to finish above .500 once again, it could lead to changes that won't just affect the players.


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.