Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)
If you lean more toward a ball-hawking defender, Emmanuel Forbes is your guy. In three seasons at Mississippi State, Forbes racked up 14 interceptions, 20 pass breakups, and six – yes, six – defensive touchdowns.
His slender frame – and Mississippi State connection – will draw plenty of Cam Dantzler comps throughout the draft process but he is such a different player. He will take his fair share of chances in coverage, which can lead to mistakes, but keeping a safety over the top on his side might be worth investing in.
Forbes is a tremendous athlete who trusts his instincts. His long frame has helped produce turnovers for his defense but he also brings a lot of concentration to the perimeter. Ball production is one thing that you can trust to translate to the next level. Forbes has the potential to be a superstar once he gets settled into the NFL.
There is some talk of Forbes sneaking into the back end of the first round which would put him in Minnesota’s range. He could certainly be available a bit later if the Vikings want to move back and accumulate an extra pick on Day 2 of the draft as well.
If the Vikings want to make a splash play, Emmanuel Forbes is the answer in this draft.