Former Mississippi State Standout CB Emmanuel Forbes Reportedly Had NFC Team 'Closely Watching' During 2023 NFL Draft

Former Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes will forever be remembered for his uncanny ballhawking ability in Starkville -- something that is now being carried over up north after he was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 16 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

But they were far from Forbes' only suitors. According to a recent report from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys were "closely watching" Forbes during the draft.

The Dan Quinn effect is a real thing in Dallas. The Cowboys have one of the NFL’s deepest defenses yet still spent their first- and third-round picks on defensive help. When their defensive coordinator has a vision for a player, the Cowboys typically see that through by selecting him if available. That was the case with Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith and Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.

The Cowboys were closely watching Mississippi State corner Emmanuel Forbes, who went No. 16 overall to Washington. At 26, with tight end Dalton Kincaid off the board, Dallas was deciding between Smith and Syracuse offensive tackle Matt Bergeron. It opted for defense, believing an interior run defender with the ability to push the pocket could be a missing piece. And don’t sleep on Overshown’s ability to play early. He’s a well-known hitter, but Dallas thinks he can develop into an all-down linebacker because of his speed.

The Cowboys, who also have another well-known MSU product on their roster in quarterback Dak Prescott, did indeed add a a new member of the secondary to the fold in the sixth round of the draft, though.

Much to the surprise of many, the team traded into the top of that round to secure Southern Miss cornerback Eric Scott Jr. with the No. 178 overall pick of the event after several analysts pinned him as a priority undrafted free agent.

It will be interesting to see how Scott and the Dallas cornerback room as a whole fares between Stephon Gilmore, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright and Jourdan Lewis... and if they ultimately regret not making a move on Forbes when they had the chance to do something about it.