Combine’s ‘Biggest Winner’ May No Longer Be Available to Chiefs

Rather than 31 to Kansas City, safety Nick Emmanwori might now go as high as 11 to San Francisco.

Oct 19, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Nick Emmanwori (7) reacts after returning an interception for a touchdown during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Get used to hearing this name over the next seven weeks, and possibly the next seven years: Nick Emmanwori. The South Carolina safety just concluded an off-the-charts scouting combine and, unfortunately for the Chiefs, likely pushed himself earlier into the first round.

Scheduled to draft 31st, the Chiefs flew to Indianapolis last week hoping Emmanwori could fall to them at the end of the first round. With Justin Reid due to hit free agency next week, Steve Spagnuolo might have a gaping hole at strong safety.

A 6-foot-3, 220-pound defender, Emmanwori measured 32.5-inch arms at the combine, then registered 43 inches in the vertical jump, 11 feet, 6 inches, in the broad jump and 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash. According to The 33rd Team, the only other combine prospect since 2003 to hit those marks with Emmanwori’s size was DK Metcalf.

Every +6'3" player at the Combine since 2003 to:

- Run a sub 4.4 40
- Have a +40" Vert
- & have an +11' Broad Jump

🔵 DK Metcalf
🔴 Nick Emmanwori

End of list. https://t.co/Rp64g3l7yU pic.twitter.com/ltTmRSZ4C9

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) February 28, 2025

Analyst Steve Palazzolo said Monday that Emmanwori emerged as the week’s biggest overall winner.

“The on-field ability still trumps everything,” Palazzolo said on Monday’s edition of the Check the Mic podcast. “But when you add the athleticism to it, it does bring an extra, ‘What more can you do? What more should we be able to see? What upside are we bringing to the table?’ Emmanwori checked so many boxes here, broke the combine.”

And after breaking the combine, some mock drafts have Emmanwori moving from a late-first within the Chiefs’ grasp all the way up to No. 11.

Even if Emmanwori is long gone by the time Kansas City is on the clock, the Chiefs may still have options at safety to replace Reid. To complement the NFL’s best tackling defense, one of those options could be Georgia safety Malaki Starks.

“Put aside for the moment that Starks is an elite athlete who can line up anywhere in the secondary,” said CBS draft analyst Ryan Wilson. “He's also one of the smartest players on the field who was a team leader from the moment he stepped on campus in Athens.”

General manager Brett Veach certainly won’t be surprised to see both Emmanwori and Starks. He also won’t be surprised to see plenty of solid options at 31, at every defensive position.

"In general, I think it's more of a defensive draft,” Veach said last week at the combine. “The talent is on the defensive line and the corners. I think it's a solid linebacking crew."

Head coach Andy Reid shares in those sentiments, knowing the Chiefs likely will need to replace both their strong safety and starting middle linebacker Nick Bolton, also a free agent.

"It looks like the defense is fully loaded here,” the head coach said last week. “It looks like a strong defensive draft. Not that there won't be some great offensive guys, but it really looks like it's strong on the defensive side."

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @KCChiefsOnSI and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.