3 overhyped players Commanders fans need to pump the breaks on in 2023
By Dean Jones
Emmanuel Forbes - Commanders CB
It's not hard to see why the Washington Commanders were so enamored with Emmanuel Forbes during their pre-draft evaluations. This became an infatuation from pretty early on, something that resulted in the dynamic cornerback being a resounding choice at No. 16 overall such was the team's level of conviction.
Forbes does have some questions about his frame, but his traits could be the X-factor that Jack Del Rio's defense needs to get over the hump and become No. 1 league-wide. The former Mississippi State star has elite instincts and ball skills, which made him a turnover machine in college with a threat to take it to the house at any given opportunity.
Hopes are high surrounding Forbes as a rookie and the defensive back will get a crash course in NFL standards from the Commanders' gifted wideouts throughout camp. However, expecting him to have a Sauce Gardner-type campaign might be too much all things considered.
Rookie cornerbacks tend to struggle more than most position groups. Gardner and Patrick Surtain II are the anomalies, so there will be some undoubted growing pains for Forbes if the Commanders leave him on an outside island consistently.
Forbes has proven SEC production, which is encouraging. But the NFL is a different ballgame and every mistake is likely to get punished - so expect the first-year-pro to go through some struggles right out of the gate.