The Washington Commanders selected cornerback Emmanuel Forbes from Mississippi State as their first-round draft pick, adding youth and speed to their secondary. Forbes has only weighed in at 166 pounds despite being 6-foot-1, one of the lightest corners ever drafted. However, he has been described as a “game changer” with a rare speed, running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Forbes is also highly regarded due to his productivity at Mississippi State, where he logged 14 interceptions and returned six for touchdowns, a record for FBS.
Forbes’ coverage abilities make him an immediate starter for Washington outside at corner, which will fill one of the team’s most pressing needs. The Commanders’ defensive scheme mostly employs zone coverage on the back end with match principles, which makes communication on the back end a priority but allows tighter coverage than traditional zone.
Adding Forbes to the roster provides a boost to their defense, which struggled with turnovers last season. Mayhew, Washington’s general manager, once a smaller defensive back in Washington, highlighted the trend of smaller cornerbacks being more effective in today’s game.
The commandos still have seven picks in the NFL draft’s final six rounds, and will focus on filling the rest of the holes in their roster in the coming days.
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