Emmanuel Forbes And The Bucs

February 13th, 2023

emmanuel forbes

This guy is a gamewrecker but can he fit with the Bucs for the future?

Emmanuel Forbes of Mississippi State is a pick-six machine. The three-year starter has 20 passes defended, 14 picks and six pick-sixes in Starkville.

NFL Network numbers chick Cynthia Frelund decided to do a mock draft strictly based on analytics. And her numbers have Forbes going to the Bucs at No. 19.

The Mississippi State corner profiles as a guy who will continue to fill out and get stronger. He improved in every metric necessary to find next-level success, racking up 14 interceptions and 17 pass breakups during his college career. Forbes forecasts as a really impactful player in Todd Bowles’ system.

Forbes will have to improve his 40 time before Joe gets fully comfortable with him. Forbes has run a 40 in 4.59. By comparison, Carlton Davis ran a 4.53, Jamel Dean ran a 4.30 and Sean Murphy-Bunting ran a 4.42. Also, the fact Forbes is not a willing tackler may not go over well at One Buc Palace.

Here’s the major fly in the ointment of Frelund’s claim that Forbes will shine in Todd Bowles’ system: How do we know Bowles will be here beyond 2023?

36 Responses to “Emmanuel Forbes And The Bucs”

  1. Beej Says:

    Pass rush…(we don’t have one)

  2. A Says:

    Sounds like a project that eventually will have to move inside – because he’s not fast enough to play outside or come up and make a tackle.

  3. Dusthty Rhothdes Says:

    Licht whiffs at the pass rush on a continual basis, so drafting a corner will not help us with the high yardage given up. Bucs need players all over the defense. Maybe Licht trade the pick away or draft the next OJ Howard at that spot

  4. Scotty in Fat Antonio Says:

    Wow…imagine the Bucs having a CB that can actually CATCH THE BALL? Your quote on him not being a “willing tackler”? He will fit right in with half of our current defense.

  5. CleanHouse Says:

    I ran a 4.59 too long, long ago

  6. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    The Bucs do not like taking CBs in the first round.
    If not a QB, it had better be OL or DL.

  7. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Dusthty Rhothdes Says
    “Licht whiffs at the pass rush on a continual basis”

    Well, that’s just not true, Dusthty.

  8. A Bucs Fan Says:

    Trenches please. OL/DL/Edge are the three biggest needs in 2023. If the Bucs draft defense in the 1st round it needs to be DL or Edge. Especially with Shaq’s injury, Will Gholston & Akeim Hicks age, and the lack of development from JTS.

  9. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    No slow corners who can’t tackle please….

  10. LUVMYBUCS Says:

    Forbes – The Skinny Legged Ball Hawk!

    Other Potential Nickel Backs (Day 3)
    – Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson | Height: 5-9 | Weight: 175 | 40 Time: 4:30
    – Kei’Trel Clark | Height: 5-10 | Weight: 176 | 40 Time: 4:45
    – Max Melton | Height: 6-0 | Weight: 190 | 40 Time: 4:32

  11. BucsfanFred Says:

    4.59 is too damn slow for a corner.

  12. TampaBayBucsFanSince1976 Says:

    Licht absolutely does whiff a bunch on pass rushers(i.e. Joe Tryon Istinka and Logan Where’s my Hall pass for sucking). Don’t make me go further back.

  13. Christos Says:

    I cant say that i have watched him much and for sure speed matters as well as his 40 time. But his 40 is not the most important thing.
    If he have a feel of the game and his mind works fast then he will play fast. Richard Sherman had a similar 40 time and guess what, he was one of the top corners of his generation. Awareness, cover skills and diagnosing the game is important. If he has all that on tape then his 40 is not a major problem. Just saying.

  14. Letsbucinggo Says:

    Cam Smith South Carolina and Clark Phillips Utah one corner one nickel.

  15. SKBucsFan Says:

    Maybe if he’s available in the 5th….as usual Licht traded away our 4th.

  16. DerekNC Says:

    We need to draft two corners in this draft. I wouldn’t mind grabbing Branch if he falls to us and then getting OT and trading up into the 2nd for a corner.

  17. Cobraboy Says:

    4.59 for a DB who can’t/won’t tackle?

    Mmmm…OK…

  18. SlyPirate Says:

    OT, OG, DL, OLB … all needed before DB

  19. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Looking at some of the draft sites, there seems to be plenty of big, fast (faster than 4.59, for sure) corners in this year’s draft. From past history, we know that Licht can find good/decent cornerbacks in the 2nd and 3rd Rounds. MJ Stewart not included.

  20. Joe in Michigan Says:

    One site has Forbes at 4.48 for his 40 time…We’ll know more once the Combine rolls around, if the kid runs there.

  21. Esteban85 Says:

    Or not. We need help in the trenches and OLB.

  22. chris bell Says:

    I’ve seen this player before his name was Johnathan Banks

  23. Arn Platz Says:

    Pass. Fix the trenches please.

  24. Arn Platz Says:

    Definitely need linemen on both sides of the ball. I can only imagine how different this past season could have or would have been had Jensen and stinnie not been injured AND Marpet stayed one more year. No doubt we would have won 4-5 more games. Need quality depth on O & D line.

  25. Bobby M. Says:

    I think we focus on shoring up one unit….Licht seems to have his best luck when he drafts in bundles. He’s consistent with offensive linemen, TEs, WRs….terrible at QB. Defensively he’s solid at LBs and secondary….terrible at pass rushers. Ironically the two he sucks at picking are both game changers in today’s NFL.

  26. Seattle Buc is back in TB Says:

    QBs have all day to throw, dosnt matter who is in the back end

  27. Jason Says:

    With the 19th pick the Bucs take the best available player who weighs over 300 pounds.
    I can dream can’t I? Lol.

  28. Goatfarmer Says:

    The Drooling Bowels will make sure he sucks if we draft him.

  29. Rod Munch Says:

    There is a difference between being slow and playing slow. 4.59 is really close to the point where you can’t compete with NFL talent, not in a man-to-man defense.

    If he can improve on that number just a little, he’d be a lot more platiable. Not that I know anything about this draft as I’ve done zero research and don’t watch college. But his size is good, his speed is not. If, like someone else said, he’s actually in the 4.4s, then you got a guy that is perhaps the next Talib. Which then Bowles can trade to Belichick for a 4th rounder on his way out the door.

  30. Rod Munch Says:

    Jason Says:
    February 13th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
    With the 19th pick the Bucs take the best available player who weighs over 300 pounds.

    ———-

    Speaking of which, Fat Josh Freeman was an amazing player, until he lost weight.

    Also Winston’s career seemingly went off the rail when he lost a ton of weight, although with Winston it has been more about injuries. Some guys need that extra padding.

    Fat QBs should just be happy being fat.

  31. Defense Rules Says:

    Given our woeful personnel situation right now, Bucs NEED at least our Top-3 draft picks to get a lot of playing time this Fall. With so many NEEDS, question is ‘What do we spend our precious Top-3 picks on?’

    Since our DLine is currently non-existent (except for Vea & Hall), and since our DE/OLB stable is in need of restocking (we have a recovering Shaq & JTS), I’d prefer to see 2 of those Top-3 picks go to DT & DE/OLB. Then prefer that the 3rd Top-3 pick go to an ILB to replace LVD OR a CB to replace Dean/SMB. We have no 4th Rnd pick I believe, and more than likely the remaining picks will just be depth (unless we get really lucky).

  32. steele Says:

    Trenches. Pass rush. That is all.

  33. David Says:

    O line
    D line

  34. David Says:

    Besides, as soon as you said he’s not really a “willing tackler”… no thank you

  35. TDTB Says:

    D. White should be moved to OLB (and Bowles study the Cowboys defense in the off-season), they should draft the better available of CB (they can only re-sign one of the two FA CB’s they have) or OL in round 1, flip them in round 2. Draft Middle linebacker in round 3 or 5 (preferably 5) and DL in round 3 or 5. Look for dented cans, falling angels or special teams in all other rounds. This year can only partially cover the many holes this team has. You can’t force things. Since the Bucs draft 19th and have to take salary cap hits with Smith and White, they’re better off moving their positions. D. White at OLB is better than any edge rusher they can draft at 19. D. Smith at guard is as good or better than any guard they’d draft in rounds 1 or 2.

  36. BucsNoles Says:

    It’s all about the lines
    Draft the best player avail on either side of the ball