Kendall Fuller has been the Washington Commanders best cornerback since re-signing with the franchise ahead of the 2020 NFL season.
In his first stint with Washington, Fuller was one of the NFL’s top slot cornerbacks before he was included in the trade for former Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith.
Since returning, Fuller has primarily played outside cornerback and quietly has been one of the NFC’s better corners. In 2022, the seventh-year veteran finished with three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
However, Washington lacked consistent depth beyond Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste. And St-Juste, finished his first two seasons in the NFL injured, so adding another starting-level cornerback was paramount for the Commanders in 2023.
Enter Emmanuel Forbes. The Commanders selected Forbes No. 16 overall in part due to his ability to create turnovers. In three college seasons, Forbes had 14 interceptions at Mississippi State, including an FBS-record six that he returned for touchdowns.
Forbes has already made an impression on the Commanders. Coaches have praised him, and he continues to stand out.
As the savvy veteran in the room, the 28-year-old Fuller was recently questioned about Forbes’ progress just over one week into training camp.
“I think he’s just starting to play faster,” Fuller said. “When you first get in there, trying to learn the defense and things like that, sometimes you allow your mental process to slow you down. He’s been coming out here mentally starting to pick it up faster, so you see him reacting faster to certain plays and certain routes and things like that. So, he’s definitely improving each and every day.”
The Commanders couldn’t have a better mentor for Forbes than Fuller. One of Washington’s team leaders, Fuller, is a smart player known for his study habits and is always prepared.
The Commanders have a good problem on their hands in 2023, with Fuller, St-Juste and Forbes as the top three cornerbacks. Second-round pick Quan Martin will also be in the mix, as he’s also impressed everyone in his first training camp.