As they often do, the Los Angeles Rams sat out the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. They had to wait until the 36th overall pick to make their first selection, so they never had a chance to draft Emmanuel Forbes.
Lucky for them, he landed on the waiver wire this week after the Washington Commanders shockingly cut him less than two years after drafting him 16th overall. The Rams pounced on the opportunity to bring in the young cornerback, claiming him off waivers and adding him to their secondary.
Defensive coordinator Chris Shula is excited about Forbes’ arrival and he told reporters on Thursday that the Rams “loved him coming out” in 2023, specifically mentioning how much Aubrey Pleasant and Raheem Morris liked what they saw on film.
“He looked good. He looked comfortable. We loved him coming out,” Shula said. “I was coaching linebackers when he was coming out. I remember and Raheem watching his tape and they loved him in the SEC. He had a ton of ball production and you see how smooth he is catching the ball. You see how comfortable he is out there. We definitely have some of the best DB coaches when it comes to developing talent and developing those guys. He’s in great hands with Aubrey, so we’re really excited to see him continue to grow.”
We’ll never know how high Forbes was on the Rams’ draft board, but they’re thrilled to have him on the team now – and they didn’t even have to use a pick on him. Sean McVay even said he was surprised Los Angeles got him because he thought another team ahead of the Rams in the waiver order was going to claim him.
Forbes isn’t expected to make his Rams debut this weekend but given the lack of depth at cornerback, he’ll have a chance to contribute at some point this season. And if he doesn’t get on the field in 2024, the Rams have him under contract for at least two more years.