Tag: Emmanuel Forbes

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.