Playmaking cornerback could be a second-round target of the Arizona Cardinals

Emmanuel Forbes would add outstanding playmaking ability to the cornerback position of the Arizona Cardinals defensive unit.

One of the first orders of business for Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort will be to address the squad's pressing needs at the cornerback spot. With both Byron Murphy and Antonio Hamilton heading for free agency, the front office could look to replenish the position during next month's NFL Draft.

One prospect who would certainly be an fine addition to the Cards secondary is Emmanuel Forbes, a 22-year-old out of Mississippi State University. If the team desires a playmaker at corner, they should look no futher than the 6 foot,180 pounder. Would Ossenfort consider taking Forbes with Arizona's second-round pick?

There's a decent possibility that Forbes will still be there for the taking when the Redbirds are deciding what to do with the 34th-overall selection. One look at what the slender cover guy accomplished during his three campaigns for the Bulldogs, and you could see why the Cardinals would be interested in acquiring his services.

Arizona Cardinals could be impressed by what Emmanuel Forbes accomplished in college

Forbes racked up some eye-popping numbers during his collegiate career at Mississippi State. In his 35 appearances, the consensus All-American in 2022 was credited with 150 tackles,14 interceptions and 20 passes defensed. Incredibly, Forbes returned a whopping six of his career picks for touchdowns.

At the moment, Marco Wilson and Christian Matthew are the only noteworthy cornerbacks on the Cards roster. As mentioned, Murphy and Hamilton are scheduled to hit the free-agent market in just a couple of weeks. It would not be surprising in the least if Arizona's new management team elects to replace the two veterans with a pair of newcomers.

It's not far-fetched to think that Ossenfort will look to grab at least one cover guy when this year's draft rolls around in April. Forbes would be an absolute bargain if he's still on the board for the Cards in Round 2.

(Statistics provided by College Football Reference)