Seahawks Nick Emmanwori Named Among 'NFL's Most Versatile Players'

Nick Emmanwori was far better than expected during his rookie season.

Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Mike Macdonald turned the Seattle Seahawks into champions in just two seasons as their head coach, and he did so with one of the most dangerous defenses in the NFL. It was also an incredibly versatile defense with interchangeable defensive linemen and outside linebackers.

There was also plenty of flexibility in the secondary, with Nick Emmanwori proving to be a stud during his rookie season. Emmanwori played in 14 games and had 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 11 pass breakups and one interception. More importantly, he covered receivers and tight ends in the slot and was willing to attack offensive linemen as well when attacking the line of scrimmage.

His performance was impressive enough that The Athletic's Ted Nguyen recently named Emmanwori among the 10 most versatile players in the league. Nguyen was so impressed with Emmanwori that he says the Seahawks might not have won the Super Bowl.

"If Nick Emmanwori hadn’t fallen to the Seahawks in the second round, they likely wouldn’t have won the Super Bowl. The defense is full of difference-makers and the defensive tackle duo (Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy) is among the best — if not the best — in the league, but Emmanwori is the skeleton key to the best defense in the league," Nguyen wrote.

Being named a "skeleton key" is huge praise after just one season, but it makes sense for Emmanwori who was second in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year behind Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger. What's scary (for opposing teams) is that he's only going to get better.

Nick Emmanwori adding more to his repertoire

Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori speaks to the media after minicamp practice at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Not only will experience help Emmanwori improve, but the young defensive back is also willing to put in the work. As Seahawks On SI's Jeremy Brener wrote, this includes working on his pass-rushing technique with DeMarcus Lawrence.

The second-year defensive back said the game is always evolving, so his goal is to do the same. He went as far as to say he wants to be the frontrunner when it comes to adapting. Emmanwori didn't just work with Lawrence either, as he spent time running with the defensive line during the team's recent OTAs.

At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, it's not likely that Emmanwori will spend much time on the D-line during games, but knowing he has the ability is just one more thing for opponents to worry about.

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