Washington defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio made it clear how much he liked first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes after the Commanders selected him at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Head coach Ron Rivera couldn’t wait to tell Del Rio he got his guy.
Not only was Del Rio excited, but so was defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer.
The Commanders released a video after the draft of the defensive coaches meeting with Forbes. It didn’t take long for Del Rio to sing the praises of the first-round pick.
The biggest knock on Forbes ahead of the draft was his size. Forbes weighed 166 pounds at the NFL combine. That did not concern Washington’s coaches, as Forbes’ success over the past three seasons in the SEC was proof of the type of player he’d be in the NFL.
After coaching Forbes in OTAs, training camp and through two preseason games, how does Del Rio view Forbes’ progression?
“Yeah, I think he’s doing just that coming along, working, getting comfortable within the scheme and things we’re asking him to do, and communicating with his teammates,” Del Rio said. “So, showed up a couple times, you know, he is going to have to do that, you know, when corner crack replace is called on, and him showing up, he is done that in each of the games. So that’s encouraging.”
Did Del Rio have any concerns about Forbes’ physicality?
“Nope,” Del Rio answered. “Just had to be verified. That’s just part of it, so for anybody that’s out there.”
The Commanders selected another defensive back in the second round. Quan Martin went No. 47 overall to Washington. The versatile former Illinois star can play all over the secondary. Martin can play outside cornerback, slot cornerback and safety. It’s been an up-and-down preseason for Martin. He was beaten for a touchdown in the opener but picked off a pass in the end zone against Baltimore on Monday night.
While the interception was an outstanding play, Martin was beaten initially.
Del Rio is not one bit concerned with Martin.
“Quan’s been outstanding, really,” Del Rio said. “He’s had some errors that were noticeable, but he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. He’s a guy that’s had a lot thrown at him, and I think he’s handled it very well. I like the way he approaches things. He’s a good young man that works hard, cares a lot, and he’s being exposed to a lot.”
Fans need to remain patient with Martin. Some do not realize what Martin is being asked to do on any given play. Was he beaten in each of the first two games? Yes. But it’s the preseason of his rookie season. Settle down. Coaches trust Martin, therefore, they are throwing a lot at him in the preseason, which is the perfect time for experimentation.
It remains to be seen what role Martin will play in 2023. Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste and Forbes are the top three corners, while Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl are the starting safeties. Washington’s coaches are preparing Martin to handle multiple responsibilities in 2023. Martin’s versatility is a luxury the Commanders didn’t have in 2022.