Prior to the 2019 NFL draft, wide receiver DK Metcalf ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, the fastest ever at the time for a player weighing 225 pounds or more. He was a combine superstar, but plummeted in the draft until the Seattle Seahawks chose him at the end of the second round.
While Metcalf is no longer with Seattle after he once again requested a trade this offseason and the team obliged, there is no argument that Metcalf was healthy and productive throughout most of his six seasons with the Seahawks. His production will be tough to replace.
But Metcalf also proved that just because a player excels at the combine does not mean they will get drafted where they should. The same might be the case for safety Nick Emmanwori, too. Seattle seemingly lucked into being able to take him at the start of the second round in 2025. This was after Emmanwori was a star at the combine.
Nick Emmanwori looks like Kyle Hamilton in Seattle Seahawks training camp
He ran a 4.38 40, had a vertical jump of 43 inches, and broad jumped 11 feet and six inches. Astonishing. But everyone passed on him in the first round, even though he had played well in college.
Like with Metcalf, though, Emmanwori is immediately showing at his rookie training camp that he is probably going to be a highly impactful player once real games are played. Nearly every practice, the safety does something unexpected. He had three interceptions in the first four padded practices, for instance. Two were pick-sixes.
While the rookie still has to tighten up his coverage skills, as opposing NFL offenses will learn his tendencies and take advantage of the negative ones, he has shown he has the high football IQ needed to adapt and grow quickly. Even in a fairly complex Seahawks defensive system, Emmanwori has displayed a sense of understanding of the nuances.
He is also being lined up all over the field. The rookie might line up in the slot at times, or deep safety, or even at edge rusher. He is not a token player at any spot, and he is capable of making an impact from all spots. Watching his rapid growth, it is a difficult to believe in what one is viewing.
The good part is that Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has the pieces needed to allow Nick Emmanwori to move around the alignment. This will help the defense overall, while also helping Emmanwori improve as a player. Possibly good enough to make several Pro Bowls in his future.
