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Here are the current odds on the leading candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2023:
As you can see, Washington first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes is 8th overall and the third-ranked cornerback, despite having been drafted ahead of Christian Gonzalez, Jack Campbell, and Nolan Smith.
In his 3-year career at Mississippi State, Forbes was outstanding. He was included on the SEC All-Freshman team in 2020 after recording 45 tackles and five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2021, he started all 13 games, recording 59 tackles and three interceptions. He was a consensus 2022 College Football All-America Team selection as a junior after pulling in six interceptions, with three returned for touchdowns.
Forbes is the ballhawk that the Commanders front office was looking for. He holds the NCAA Division I FBS record for most career interceptions returned for a touchdown (6) and is fourth in Mississippi State history with 14 interceptions. He also holds school records for the longest interception return at 90 yards, and the most interception yards in a season with 183.
The only real knock on Emmanuel Forbes is his size. While he is nearly 6’1” and has good length, Forbes weighed in at 166 pounds at the Combine (possibly having cut weight in order to increase his 40-time), but says that he played at well over 170 pounds in college.
Still, one look at him in a pair of shorts is enough to convince any fan that Forbes needs to keep eating sandwiches and that he should never skip ‘leg day’ at the gym.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
If Forbes were 20-25 pounds heavier with the same college resume, he might well have been the top cornerback selected in the ‘23 draft, proving that size does matter to NFL scouts, but not so much to the Commanders’ coaches.