Seahawks’ Emmanwori first No. 35 pick to sign fully guaranteed deal

The latest evolution of rookie contracts in the NFL has officially reached the Seattle Seahawks.

Second-round NFL Draft pick Nick Emmanwori has signed to a fully guaranteed rookie contract with the Seahawks, as first reported Thursday night by ESPN NFL insider Adam SchefterThe four-year contract, which is worth $11.6 million, is the first to be fully guaranteed for a player selected No. 35 or later in an NFL Draft.

Emmanwori, a safety out of South Carolina, appeared to confirm the deal by commenting “Showtime” while re-posting Schefter’s report on social media.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Emmanwori had four interceptions including two pick-sixes, plus two pass breakups and three tackles for loss in 2024 for South Carolina. He’s expected to be a versatile piece of head coach Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks defense who can move around between various positions in the secondary.

Fully guaranteed rookie contracts have for years been limited to first-round draft picks. That changed this spring when the Houston Texans made wide receiver Jayden Higgins, the No. 34 overall pick and second pick of the second round, the first second-rounder ever given a fully guaranteed rookie contract.

The Cleveland Browns followed by signing linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the No. 33 overall pick and top pick of the second round, to a fully guaranteed deal.

The Seahawks still have another second-rounder who remains unsigned in Elijah Arroyo, a tight end from Miami who was picked No. 50 overall.

While Seahawks training camp doesn’t start until July 23, rookies were due to report to team headquarters in Renton on Tuesday. Emmanwori and Arroyo were noticeably missing from social media posts this week from the Seahawks, and Arroyo shared a picture Tuesday on Instagram from a training facility at the University of Miami.