'The Ball Finds Emmanuel Forbes!' Can Commanders CB Win Rookie of the Year?

The Washington Commanders need a game-changer on defense, and maybe they've now got one in the rookie Emmanuel Forbes.

The Washington Commanders wanted an instant-impact defender in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft and decided on 166-pound cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with pick No. 16. And despite his stature, Forbes is a record-breaking demon on defense in a way that might quickly transfer to the NFL.

Totaling 14 interceptions and returning six of them for touchdowns, Forbes dominated SEC competition at Mississippi State.

And, not surprisingly, it's always been this way for the wily "ball hawk."

"His ball skills are elite, and the ball finds him," Ashley Kuhn, Forbes' high school coach, told Commanders.com. "Interceptions, returning a kick, returning a punt, blocking an extra point, a field goal, it's just amazing how his ball skills translate."

Forbes led the SEC in interceptions in both 2020 and 2022, leading the entire NCAA in interception return yards in each of those seasons. ... Not to mention his six pick-sixes are the most in college football history. Every time Forbes logs a takeaway, you can bet he's fighting for the end zone. 

Emmanuel Forbes BROKE this man’s ankles 😳

Forbes holds the record for most career pick-sixes in college football with 6.

The Mississippi State CB is the definition of a ball HAWK. pic.twitter.com/OWney4GWyP

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) February 25, 2023

"He's going to score. And he thinks he can. I've never seen him catch a pick ... and run out of bounds. The dude's trying to find the end zone," Kuhn said.

The Commanders already had a defense in the top half of the NFL last season, and returning a healthy Chase Young makes the unit even more dangerous in 2023. But Washington needed a guy who could flip momentum in an instant and strike fear in opposing quarterbacks. Forbes' track record says he might be that guy.

"There's gotta be something said for dudes that change games and you can't explain how they do it," Kuhn said, planting visions of 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year honors for Forbes in the minds of Commanders fans.

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