It's not often teams get to claim a player that was drafted 16th overall less than two years ago, but that's what the Rams just did with cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. A year-and-a-half after the Washington Commanders drafted Forbes in the first round, he was waived by the team and was subsequently claimed by the Rams on Monday.
Forbes has blazing speed and fantastic length, standing at 6-foot-1, 166 lbs with 32.25-inch arms. His weight led to some questions about his tackling strength, according to NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein, but Forbes' coverage skills were regarded as some of the best in the 2023 class, and he's shown flashes of elite potential in the pros. NFL draft analyst Buck Brooks compared him to former All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman during the evaluation process.
Here are five interesting stats from Forbes' college and early pro career:
In his senior year at Mississippi State, quarterbacks had a 44.7 passer rating when targeting Forbes, ranking 18th in the FBS and first in the SEC, via Pro Football Focus (PFF)
Forbes was a force to be reckoned with at Mississippi State. His coverage production was second-to-none in his senior year and it showed on the advanced and more traditional stat sheets with six interceptions (tied for FBS lead). As a lanky defender with game-breaking speed, Forbes matched up against short speedsters and taller down-field threats in the SEC.
The Rams will attempt to coax those versatile, shutdown coverage skills out of him so he can big plays turnovers in the secondary.
Forbes ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL combine, tied for the fifth-fastest in the class
Elite speed from a corner over six feet tall isn't easy to come by. Since 2000, only 19 corners that are six feet or taller have run a 4.35 40-yard dash, and Forbes is one of them. Some other notable names on that list are Patrick Peterson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jamel Dean, Tariq Woolen, Quinyon Mitchell and Nate Wiggins.
This isn't to say Forbes is destined to become one of those Pro Bowl talents, but it's a good sign that his skill set has been proven to translate into success at the NFL level.
Last season, Forbes had the 28th-ranked man coverage grade among corners with at least 250 coverage snaps (62.5), via PFF
The Rams haven't played much man coverage this season – according to Fantasy Points Data, they've run man coverage just 23.2% of the time, ranking 20th in the NFL. Part of the reason for that is they start two corners under six feet tall.
Yesterday, McVay said Forbes "showed versatility, showed competitive toughness on the edge (and) good ball skills" both in college and during his rookie season. Forbes was a tall, shut-down man corner at Mississippi State and showed flashes of that with the Commanders. He has the potential to add some variety to this defense with some good coaching.
Forbes had 14 interceptions (including six pick-sixes) and 17 pass breakups during his three collegiate seasons
A nose for the football is something the Rams prize, and Forbes has it. Earlier this year, defensive coordinator Chris Shula said "you just emphasize (creating turnovers)... It's just always having it on your mind."
Rams cornerbacks have created just two turnovers this season, both courtesy of Cobie Durant. Now, they've added a big play corner with high turnover potential just in time for a playoff push in a wide-open NFC West.
In 50 coverage snaps this season, Forbes has allowed five catches on seven targets for 64 yards and a 60.1 passer rating, via Next Gen Stats
Forbes has one interception and zero touchdowns allowed this season with limited playing time. He's been a solid cover corner with high-end physical skills and instincts in his short time in the NFL.
The problem has been his tackling, as he's missed 46.2% of his tackle opportunities this season, according to PFF. Yet, he never missed more than 18.1% in a season at Mississippi State, and had an 18.8% rate in Washington last year. If the Rams can help him finish more tackles, he could prove to be a productive addition to this secondary.
