Former South Carolina standout earns NFL All-Rookie recognition from ESPN

To the surprise of absolutely no one who watched him in Columbia, former South Carolina defensive back Nick Emmanwori has burst onto the NFL scene as a rookie.

Following a second-round pick for the Gamecock All-American, Emmanwori has carved out a critical role in the Seattle Seahawks’ defense. His play has helped position the Seahawks in a winner-take-all NFC West matchup against the San Francisco 49ers this weekend. The division rivals play in San Francisco at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Saturday. ABC and ESPN will handle the television broadcast, while the ESPN app streams the de facto divisional championship game.

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Emmanwori’s impressive debut season is also earning the Irmo, South Carolina native some individual accolades.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Ben Solak released his All-Rookie first team and second team. As one might expect, Emmanwori made the cut. Solak slotted him in as the first-team safety, though he has played significant snaps at both safety and nickel.

Said Solak about Emmawori: “For as fun of a debut season as it has been, Emmanwori gets billed as a fusion between Kam Chancellor and Kyle Hamilton, which is a little too rich for my blood. But he is a highly disruptive player with length, closing speed, and a nose for the football. He rarely misses tackles given his length and play strength, and he can rip through blocks to produce behind the line of scrimmage, as well. On blitzes, Emmanwori is a true playmaker who must be accounted for at all times. Another offseason of work on coverage instincts and play recognition is needed for a player mostly operating on feel right now, but his ceiling is through the roof in that regard.”

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Emmanwori has helped give Seattle fans glimpses of the days of the “Legion of Boom,” playing the role of the hard-hitting, versatile playmaker. He has played all over the field for the Seahawk defense and has made a major impact.

With nine tackles and four passes defended, Emmanwori earned NFL Rookie of the Week against the Arizona Cardinals in November. Then, against the Atlanta Falcons in December, he became the first NFL player ever to block a field goal, sack the quarterback, register an additional tackle for loss, and intercept a pass in the same game.

Emmanwori is a candidate for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. In fact, he might have earned consideration as the favorite had he not missed three full games and a part of another with an ankle injury. On the season, he has logged 74 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, and one interception.

When the NFL releases official All-Rookie designations, Emmanwori almost certainly will earn inclusion. Following the Seahawks trading up for him on draft day, Emmanwori has rewarded the organization with an impressive 2025.

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