Commanders News: Sale bump, Sam Howell, Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin
By Dean Jones
Commanders taking Emmanuel Forbes gets scrutiny
Emmanuel Forbes was always the guy coveted by the Washington Commanders. Based on what's emerged following the pick at No. 16 overall, it's almost as if Ron Rivera took on the Kevin Costner role in Draft Day with a piece of yellow paper with "Forbes, no matter what" thanks to his steadfast belief.
That hasn't stopped the selection from being scrutinized heavily. While Forbes is an undeniable ballhawk, there are some major concerns about whether his frame can hold up against more physically imposing wide receivers over a 17-game NFL season.
This was highlighted by Jason Reid of ESPN recently, who named the Commanders' taking Forbes as his biggest head-scratcher of the 2023 NFL Draft. A notion that was seconded in the same article by former general manager turned analyst Mike Tannenbaum.
"Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes to the Washington Commanders at No. 16. It was bad enough that the Commanders didn't address their offensive line in the first round. But to instead take a 166-pound player so high, well, their whole approach here was a true head-scratcher."
- Jason Reid via ESPN
The former Mississippi State stud has no doubt heard all the questions and unfair criticism leveled at his door before and after the draft. What's important for the explosive defensive back is harnessing this negative energy into extra motivation - which all starts by showing out at Washington's rookie minicamp.