Jaguar Report

2023 NFL Draft: Could Emmanuel Forbes' Playmaking Skills Elevate the Jaguars?

Could one of the best turnover machines in college football be the Jaguars' next top pick?

John Shipley

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Next up: Mississippi State's Emmanuel Forbes.

Overview

Rated a four-star recruit by 247Sports in the 2020 class, Forbes was a top get for Mississippi State. A Mississippi native, Forbes was ranked the No. 2 recruit in his state, the No. 13 cornerback in the nation and the No. 186 overall recruit.

Forbes received nine offers before eventually committing to Mississippi State, choosing them over programs such as Tennessee, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Memphis, South Alabama, Southern Miss., and Louisiana-Monroe.

Forbes immediately made an impact in the SEC, leading the conference with five interceptions as a true freshman while appearing in 11 games with nine starts, while also recording 44 tackles and six pass deflections. Forbes also scored three defensive touchdowns, leading the NCAA.

2021 saw Forbes return as a starter, starting all 13 games while recording three interceptions, five pass deflections, 59 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Forbes took an even bigger leap in 2022, starting all 13 games and leading the SEC with six interceptions, which included three pick-sixes and 11 pass breakups.

What Emmanuel Forbes Does Well

One doesn't get the interceptions that Forbes did in college without having legit ball skills. There might not be a cornerback in the entire draft who can high point and track passes like Forbes, who becomes a bonafide wide receiver with the ball in the air. Forbes does an excellent job of timing his jumps, while also showing the balance along the sidelines to bring in even the toughest of interceptions.

Forbes' incredibly long frame goes a long way toward boosting his reputation as a ballhawk, He is able to use his length to pluck footballs out of the air, showing a catch radius that gives him a chance to make a play on the ball even when he doesn't have lockdown coverage. Forbes knows how to use his length at the line of scrimmage and throughout the route, too, effectively throwing wideouts off balance at the line while still maintaining proper leverage. 

Forbes shows very good click-and-close ability for a cornerback of his frame, displaying solid hip fluidity and footwork. While he can run downfield with virtually any receiver, his ability to close on the ball downhill makes him more versatile in coverage than a vertical-only coverman. While Forbes doesn't have the strength or size to be an impact run defender, he does at least show the physicality and aggression needed to keep him on the field in all situations. 

How Emmanuel Forbes Would Fit With the Jaguars

The Jaguars' defense was built on their ability to convert takeaways last year. The defense started out fire-hot thanks to big turnovers against Washington, the Colts, the Chargers, and the Eagles. But after nine takeaways in the first four games, the Jaguars recorded just five over the next six weeks, a span that saw the Jaguars go 1-5. 

In short, the Jaguars' defense needed turnovers to thrive in 2022. If they are to expect the same outcome in 2023, then it will be pertinent for them to add more players who have shown the ability to generate takeaways. Some turnovers are pure luck and randomness, but there is a skill to forcing takeaways, and this is where Forbes would come in.

Forbes has some of the best ball production of any cornerback in recent memory, recording 14 interceptions and 22 pass deflections during his three years as a starter, numbers that lapped every other cornerback during that stretch. If the Jaguars want a player who can step in right away and become a ball-magnent, then there likely isn't a better option than Forbes.

With that said, there are some questions with his fit within the Jaguars' scheme. Forbes is an outside-only cornerback due to his lack of strength and tackling ability, which means the Jaguars would still have to figure out their nickel cornerback situation. The Jaguars like cornerbacks who can fill downhill and make tackles against the run and at the line of scrimmage, and Forbes will likely never be that kind of player.

Verdict

Forbes is a tough one to square away because there are obviously some top-tier traits in terms of speed, fluidity, and most importantly, ball skills. The Jaguars' defense thrived on takeaways last year, with the Jaguars' best stretch of football coming in the weeks their defense was most opportunistic. Because of that, adding a top-notch ballhawk like Forbes to ensure the turnovers don't dip in 2023 would make sense.

With that said, Forbes is likely an outside-only cornerback and his thin frame and lack of play strength could ding him in the Jaguars' system. He is a good player who could be a potential boon of a pick at No. 56, but there are too many questions for No. 24.

For all of our 2023 NFL Draft profiles, click below.

Published
John Shipley
JOHN SHIPLEY

John Shipley has been covering the Jacksonville Jaguars as a beat reporter and publisher of Jaguar Report since 2019. Previously, he covered UCF's undefeated season as a beat reporter for NSM.Today, covered high school prep sports in Central Florida, and covered local sports and news for the Palatka Daily News. Follow John Shipley on Twitter at @_john_shipley.

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