Emmanuel Forbes. He’s the Mississippi State cornerback who was Mel Kiper Jr.’s pick to the Minnesota Vikings in his first mock draft way back in January and he is still Kiper’s prediction for the Vikings in his fourth mock, which was released Tuesday.
Kiper states the obvious about cornerback being a “clear need area for Minnesota” and that Forbes, who weighed 166 pounds at the NFL Combine, “needs to grow into his 6’foot-1 frame.” The caveat, however, is Kiper calling Forbes a “great cover corner” with “outstanding instincts” and “his ceiling is high.”
If it’s not Forbes, Kiper thinks the Vikings”could target a wideout to complement Justin Jefferson with this pick.”
Forbes had 14 interceptions in three seasons at Mississippi State and he returned six of them for touchdowns – an FBS record. He had five interceptions as a freshman in 2021, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He followed that up with three interceptions as a sophomore before exploding with six picks, including three pick-sixes, as a junior in 2022.
According to Pro Football Focus, all six of Forbes’ interceptions last season were in man coverage. No other corner in college football had more than three.
Minnesota’s starting secondary is currently forecast to feature Byron Murphy and Andrew Booth Jr. or Akayleb Evans as the starting cornerbacks, with Harrison Smith alongside Cam Bynum or Lewis Cine at safety.
Other notes from Kiper’s mock:
- Hendon Hooker going late in the first round to the Seahawks
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison are the only wide receivers he has going in the first round
- Receivers going in Kiper’s second round mock include Quentin Johnston, Jalin Hyatt, Josh Downs, Jonathan Mingo and Marvin Mims
- Hyatt is going to the Lions with the 55th pick, which Detroit got from Minnesota in the T.J. Hockenson trade
Kiper had the Vikings taking Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks in his second mock draft, and he tied TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston to Minnesota in his third mock.
