Mike Macdonald's Seattle Seahawks defense should be good this coming season. The unit had struggled in previous years before Macdonald's arrival after the 2023 season. The head coach was expected to remedy the issues with the unit, and by the end of 2024, the defense was ranked in the top 10 in many categories.
General manager John Schneider did not want to mess too much with a good thing this offseason, so he brought back most of the key players from last year. Seattle also added defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence to the squad. However, perhaps the most significant new edition is a rookie.
Seattle moved from number 52 in the 2025 NFL draft to number 35, and with the selection, the Seahawks chose safety Nick Emmanwori. It was easy to compare the rookie to Seahawks legend Kam Chancellor. The height and weight were nearly identical, and each had elite athleticism. Emmanwori might be a bit fast, though.
Seahawks' Nick Emmanwori versus Colts' Tyler Warren should be amazing
In truth, Emmanwori is closer to Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton is one inch taller than Emmawori (6'4" versus 6'3"), but weigh about 220 pounds. They both excel in coverage rather than imposing their physicality on opponents as much as Chancellor did.
Mike Macdonald needs a Hamilton type in his defense more than the Chancellor type. The Seahawks need a big safety who can cover wide receivers as well as tight ends and running backs. But 12s might find out exactly how good Emmanwori is in a Week 15 matchup against another rookie.
That week, Seattle will take on the Indianapolis Colts. Indy is not among the better teams in the league, but they might have one of the more explosive rookies in 2025. They drafted tight end Tyler Warren in the first round, and he should immediately be a focal point of their offense.
Emmawori versus Warren is listed at number seven on CBS Sports' top-10 rookie matchups in 2025. By that late in the season, it might even be worthy of ranking higher.
At that point in the season, Emmanwori might be tasked with limiting Warren's efforts against the Seahawks. Keeping Warren under wraps could go a long way toward determining who wins the game. That late in the season, a Seattle victory could move them one step closer to the playoffs.
Warren had 1,230 yards receiving in 2024 and 15 touchdowns combined over the last two years. He is 6'5 1/2" and has excellent athletic ability. Emmanwori's passer rating allowed last year was an astonishing 37.1. The matchup between Warren and Emmanwori will be must-see football.
