Tag: Emmanuel Forbes

CBS Sports sends Vikings Mississippi State CB in latest mock draft

The Vikings select an eerily similar prospect to Cameron Dantzler in the latest CBS Sports mock draft

The Minnesota Vikings are in need of a cornerback and there are a lot of really good ones in this draft class. Because of the depth in this class at cornerback, the Vikings don’t need to take one in the first round.

Draft analysts have sent the Vikings cornerback 53 times out of 98 mock drafts collected in the first five weeks and it continued with the latest mock draft from CBS Sports.

Tom Fornelli has the Vikings taking Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. Here is what Fornelli had to say about the talented Bulldog cornerback.

“I know other talent evaluators like Forbes, but I believe I’m the high man on him. That’s fine with me. I love him. He sometimes gets too aggressive, but it’s understandable, given how good his hands are. He’s a playmaker who can play in any number of schemes.”

I totally get why Fornelli is high on Forbes. His ball skills are excellent and he plays with a high level of aggressiveness. The issue with Forbes is that he has an incredibly slight frame. If you are comfortable with that, you will have a good cornerback.

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2023 NFL Draft: Tyler Forness’ top 12 cornerbacks

The 2023 NFL Draft is fast approaching and the cornerback class is loaded. @TheRealForno has his top 12 cornerbacks in this class

The 2023 NFL draft is approaching and there is one thing that’s clear.

This cornerback class is insanely deep.

In my initial study, I have written up full scouting reports on 12 cornerbacks and they all received grades of at least 79.0. That is a high third-round grade and 10 of those 12 got second-round grades.

Here is how I have the class currently graded before the NFL combine and athletic testing.

Vikings trade back in first round in latest Fantasy Pros Mock Draft

The Vikings traded back in the latest NFL mock draft

With limited draft picks in the upcoming draft, it’s not unreasonable to think that Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could trade back to accumulate more picks. While it’s impossible to predict trades within mock drafts because most times we can hardly predict the player, the trades and speculation are what make mock draft season so fun.

On Thursday, Mike Fanelli of Fantasy Pros had some fun in his mock draft and had the Vikings trade back with the Philadelphia Eagles, selecting Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.

“Philadelphia Eagles receive pick 23. Minnesota Vikings receive picks 31, 95, 2024 fourth-round pick. Even after trading back and adding a pair of mid-round picks, the Vikings still fill their top need on defense. Minnesota surrendered 4,515 passing yards during the regular season, the second-most in the NFL. Furthermore, they gave up 301 passing yards to Daniel Jones in their playoff loss and 334 yards in the regular season matchup. Those two totals were two of his three highest this year. Meanwhile, the Vikings have several cornerbacks scheduled to hit the open market in March, including starters Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan”

This scenario would be a win for the Vikings because it would provide them with additional draft capital, which they currently lack. They’d also come away on day one with a cornerback in what’s a loaded cornerback class.

Mel Kiper has Vikings taking a cornerback in his latest mock draft

The Vikings have now selected 10 different cornerbacks in mock drafts

The Minnesota Vikings have quite a few needs heading into the 2023 season and the one that will draw the most attention is cornerback. The Vikings have selected nine different cornerbacks over the first three weeks of 2023 in mock drafts and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Vikings selecting a 10th.

The Vikings selected Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes in Kiper Jr.’s mock draft. Here is what Kiper Jr. had to say about the Bulldog cornerback.

“Veteran Patrick Peterson was the Vikings’ top corner this season, but he’s a free agent, and even if the team brings him back, it should start thinking about the future in the secondary. Safety Lewis Cine, Minnesota’s first-rounder last April, played just two defensive snaps before breaking his leg and missing the rest of the season. He should make a full recovery, but can the Vikings improve on the outside too? Rookie second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. played in just six games due to injury, and he’s not a lock to start. Whoever takes over for fired coordinator Ed Donatell needs options. Forbes was an interception magnet for the Bulldogs; he had 14 over three seasons, including six in 2022. He gave up a few big plays, but he has tremendous potential as a cover corner.”

The ball skills with six pick-sixes and physicality in the running are both very attractive traits for whatever scheme the Vikings choose to run in 2023.

Vikings 2023 NFL draft prospect: Miss State CB Emmanuel Forbes

The Mississippi State Bulldog is similar in build to fellow alumnus Cameron Dantzler. Is he similar in skill set as well?

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.

The Vikings are slated to have four picks before compensatory selections are awarded and they need to make the most out of them.

Lions mock offseason v1.0: Kicking off the offseason options

Lions 2023 mock offseason v1.0: The first of many possible Detroit offseason paths covering free agency, roster cuts and the 2023 NFL draft projections

Back for another year, it’s time to kick off the Lions mock offseason series for 2023.

The mock offseason covers not just a mock draft, but also personnel decisions on existing Lions free agents, potential roster cuts, outside free agent signings and (of course) the draft.

Here’s an example of one of the mock offseason scenarios from last year, one that wound up nailing both Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams to the Lions in the first round:

Lions mock offseason 4.0: Pre-combine edition

As with last year’s series, each mock offseason represents a potential path Lions GM Brad Holmes and the team can follow, not a recommendation or endorsement of any course of action. It’s not a prediction either, just a look at how the Lions might approach the offseason.

Mock draft watch: QB and DBs in the Lions future in latest Draft Wire 2-round projections

Mock draft watch: QB and DBs in the Lions’ future in latest Draft Wire 2-round projections

The latest set of 2023 NFL draft projections from Draft Wire is the first to feature the Detroit Lions with the No. 1 pick. Editor Luke Easterling rolls with the current draft order, and as of Week 7, the Lions hold the NFL’s worst record at 1-5.

With the No. 1 overall pick, the projection this time leads to Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud. Easterling lays out the logic,

The Lions have bigger problems on defense, and it’s not like Jared Goff hasn’t played well enough for them to be successful on offense. That said, Goff may have already hit his ceiling, and if Detroit ends up with this pick, they’d have a hard time passing up the lofty potential of Stroud.

The other two picks in the first two rounds address the defensive backfield, which is a pretty easy sell for Lions fans tired of seeing so many points in the “against” column.

With the pick acquired from the Los Angeles Rams, currently No. 20 overall, Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson gets the nod. Johnson is a repeat projection in this range, and it’s easy to see why,

This secondary needs more playmakers, and in this scenario, the best value comes on the back end. Johnson is a rangy, athletic defender who can line up single-high, in the slot, or mix it up in the box against the run, doing everything at an extremely high level.

The first pick of the second doubles up in the secondary. The pick, which is No. 32 instead of 33 because Miami forfeited its first-round pick for tampering with Tom Brady, is Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes. He’s a personal favorite of mine and a speedier, consistently tenacious upgrade over pending free agent Amani Oruwariye.

Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes is dominating in man coverage

Opposing quarterbacks are far better off avoiding Emmanuel Forbes when he’s locked up in man coverage

If you’re an opposing quarterback, and you see Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes lined up across from your best receiver, you’d best be looking elsewhere once the ball is snapped.

Forbes has been an absolute shutdown artist in man coverage this season, giving up just one reception on 11 targets, picking off five passes, and allowing a big ol’ goose egg in the QB rating column (per Pro Football Focus).

Despite going up against top talent in the SEC every week, Forbes has been dominant when locked up in 1-on-1 situations. That fact won’t escape the sight of NFL scouts when draft season rolls around.

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Previewing LSU’s Week 3 matchup against Mississippi State

Here’s a rundown of what Tiger fans can expect to see from Mississippi State on Saturday.

After a 1-1 start, LSU is set to begin conference play as Mississippi State heads to Tiger Stadium. LSU bounced back from the heartbreaking loss to Florida State with a 65-17 win over Southern, but the Bulldogs will be a tougher test than what the Tigers faced last week.

MSU last played in Tiger Stadium in the 2020 opener. As much as Tiger fans want to forget it, that game is burned into the memory of anyone that watched it. K.J. Costello threw for 623 yards against a Tiger defense that would have had trouble stopping a junior varsity high school team.

In 2021, LSU responded, heading to Starkville with a much better plan to defend the air raid. It still gave up 486 yards, but Mississippi State was inefficient and LSU led from start to finish.

Let’s take a look at how the Bulldogs shape up entering the 2022 contest.

Mock draft watch: Lions land athletic QB and playmaking DBs in 2-rounder

The Detroit Lions land an athletic QB and playmaking DBs in the latest 2-round mock draft from Draft Wire

College football season is back! With the kickoff of the college season comes a bevy of mock drafts to give an idea of which players to watch entering the CFB slate.

Over at Draft Wire, editor Luke Easterling released his latest two-round mock draft projections. The haul for the Lions presents some interesting names to keep an eye on throughout the fall.

Picking No. 9 overall — based on current Super Bowl odds — the Lions land Florida QB Anthony Richardson.

Here’s what Easterling wrote about Richardson, who gets a stern test against Utah in the Gators’ opener on September 3rd,

The Lions punted on the 2022 quarterback class, likely hoping to land a better prospect at the top of next year’s draft. Richardson flashed sky-high potential at times last season, and if he stays healthy, a breakout campaign this year could launch him into this range.

Richardson isn’t the Lions’ only first-rounder. With the pick acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in the Jared Goff/Matthew Stafford trade, Detroit snatches up Notre Dame safety Brandon Joseph. He’s a playmaker who transferred from Northwestern and is poised to make himself a lot more renown in 2022,

This pick should be spent on the best available defensive back, and in this scenario, the value comes on the back end. A transfer from Northwestern, Joseph is a versatile playmaker with impressive instincts and ball skills, allowing him to make an immediate impact against both the run and pass.

In the second round, No. 40 overall, comes Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes. He’s proven he can make the sizzle plays; Forbes has three career pick-sixes. He’s also solid against the run–ask LSU. Forbes has to add a little more bulk and consistency to his game but his ceiling is instant NFL impact starter.