Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes 'Fits The Bill,' Says GM Martin Mayhew

The Washington Commanders were immediately impressed when watching cornerback Emmanuel Forbes' film.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Washington Commanders opted to strengthen their secondary on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, selecting cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with the No. 16 overall pick.

It may have come as a surprise to some as one of the most talked about cornerbacks, Christian Gonzalez, was still on the board and ended up going a pick later to the New England Patriots. So, how long were the Commanders planning on taking Forbes?

“Oh, he's been on the radar from the beginning. I mean, I do a lot of tape during the season, and he was the guy that caught my eye immediately," Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew said. "Once I saw his tape and I looked at his numbers first before I turned them on and put his tape on. After I saw his numbers and he fits the bill. He totally fit the bill from day one.”

Forbes, the ex-Mississippi State Bulldog, was top three in the country with six interceptions, taking his career total to 14. But what is different about Forbes than the rest is his ability to turn defense into offense, as he set an NCAA record with six pick-sixes. He truly is someone that can convert defense into offense. 

What stood out to the Commanders was the accountability that Forbes showed in their meeting with them at the NFL Combine.

"One thing I was really appreciative was we showed him a double move that he got beat on, and really, he talked about himself and corrected it," head coach Ron Rivera said. "He says this is all about eye discipline. He says I took my eye off my guy, and I didn't feel him go vertical. He said, that's on me, and then you go back, and you watch the tape, and then you see a double move, and you see he's right on top of the guy, and he runs with him and knocks the ball down." 

Cornerback was a need talked about by many of the draft analysts in the lead-up to Washington's pick. The selection of Forbes gives the Commanders a potential pairing on the outside with veteran Kendall Fuller.

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