Getty The New York Giants are tipped to select an FBS record-holder in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL draft.
Joe Schoen would surely win himself a few more fans by selecting a wide receiver in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, but the New York Giants’ general manager might have another priority, namely cornerback.
That’s the consensus building among mock draft writers, many of whom have Big Blue choosing Emmanuel Forbes 25th overall. The Mississippi State star is the Giants’ ideal first-round pick, according to both ESPN’s Todd McShay and Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus.
McShay believes “receiver can be addressed later,” but cornerback is a different story. What the position group needs is a true ballhawk to fit defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale’s aggressive and creative schemes: “The Giants blitzed more than any other team last season (42%) but didn’t have many ballhawks in the secondary to take advantage. Forbes would feast on mistakes forced by that pressure.”
The same sentiments are echoed by Renner: “when you blitz that much, you want ball hawks on the back end. Who better to add to the mix than the FBS leader in pick-sixes?”
Forbes is fast becoming a familiar name in connection with the Giants. McShay’s colleague Jordan Reid sent the SEC turnover king to MetLife Stadium in the second round, 57th overall, of his mock draft on March 29.
It’s an exciting prospect for a defense chronically short of interceptions last season.
Bulldogs’ Star Would Be a Steal for Giants
No matter if the Giants lucked in to getting Forbes at 25 or had to wait until 57, they would be getting a steal. There’s no other way to describe a dynamic playmaker who earned an FBS record for snatching passes and turning his thefts into touchdowns, per NFL GameDay:
Dear @NFL QBs, don’t throw the ball Emmanuel Forbes’ way
Forbes’ ball skills were further underlined by 10 pass breakups during his final season within the collegiate ranks. The Giants need this opportunistic streak after collecting a mere six interceptions last season, tied for fewest in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Instincts are the key to Forbes’ happy habit of getting his hands on the football so often. He showed off his anticipation and decisive streak on this pick-six against the University of Kentucky, highlighted by ESPN analyst Matt Bowen:
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes.
Man-coverage vs. the tunnel screen here. See the motion. And jump the throw.
A cornerback willing to gamble goes hand in glove with a defense happy to send multiple rushers after quarterbacks. Consistent and heavy pressure forces the kind of errant throws Forbes can feast upon.
If there’s one concern about his game it involves a slight frame. The 6’0″, 180-pounder is considered undersized, although as Nate Tice of The Athletic pointed out, Forbes is not shy about throwing himself into the rough and tumble of stopping the run:
despite his (very) skinny frame. I haven’t been too worried about Emmanuel Forbes’ (#13) willingness to tackle.
Forbes is an ideal fit for the Giants, but the team wasn’t named among the list of his recent, pre-draft visits. The list instead included the Giants’ NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, according to Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com.
No mention of the Giants doesn’t mean cornerback isn’t still at the top of the list of positions Schoen wants to address in this draft. Not when two other prominent corners in the class have also been linked with Big Blue.
Cornerback a Popular Choice for Giants
Aside from Forbes, Oregon ballhawk Christian Gonzalez is somebody draft scribes envisage putting on a Giants uniform later this year. A trade scenario involving the Houston Texans allowing the Giants to move up 13 places could yield Gonzalez, according to Tice’s colleague Bruce Feldman.
Gonzalez shares similar traits to Forbes. Notably, a comfort shadowing receivers in man coverage, along with a penchant for takeaways evidenced by four interceptions in 2022.
It doesn’t appear likely Gonzalez will stay on the board until the 25th pick, but the Giants should think twice about trading up. Especially since this rookie crop is almost as bountiful in quality corners as it is rich in dynamic wideouts.
The depth at cornerback explains the Giants’ “interest” in South Carolina’s Cam Sutton. It’s apparent Schoen is performing due diligence about the best cover men in this class.
Receiver is the obvious starting point for many, but signing Parris Campbell and trading for Darren Waller has helped restock the cupboard somewhat. There hasn’t been a similar retooling of the Giants’ options at cornerback, but the path remains clear ahead of the draft.