STRENGTHS
Emmanuel is a lightning quick and a lightning smart, pure cornerback. He has excellent recovery speed to fool quarterbacks into thinking they can take advantage of him off the snap…big mistake. Emmanuel has those quick feet and fluid hip flip that make it easy for him to cover and is very smart when used in zone coverage or combination coverages. He is a good tackler in spite of what you have been told. His slight build gives him the advantage of offensive coordinators thinking they can take advantage of him in their game plans. That type of thinking has led to Emmanuel, playing in the SEC, against top receivers and quarterback talent, into having a career 14 interceptions in three years and in his last year, owning the FBS record for six pick-sixes.
CONCERNS
Emmanuel came into the combine weighing 6’ 1” 166 lbs. Think about how well that lack of bulk might be able to hold up to a 17-game schedule.
BOTTOM LINE: 2.47
If Emmanuel was 180 or 190 lbs he would be considered one of the top corners in this draft class. There is nothing wrong with his tackling, he doesn’t shy away and is a willing tackler, taking on the challenge, getting off blocks, and wrapping up better than most other corners in this draft. In the 2021 year, he had 45 solo tackles and held up just fine. Not many corners or even safeties have that many tackles in a year. As far as most NFL teams being concerned about the potential of injuries, he seems to have a pretty good record of playing a lot of games. That being said, you can’t blame the scouts, GM’s, and coaches for being concerned about his ability to hold down a starting position at the next level. There is no doubt that his lack of bulk will relegate him to a backup position until he can prove otherwise. At least for me, it does and I’m not trying to feed my family, putting my credibility on the line to have a career as a scout in the NFL. The question is, will Emmanuel be the exception to the size standards and impact like he has in college for the NFL team that selects him? We shall see.
