Seahawks rookie Nick Emmanwori sets lofty goal for Seattle secondary

Seattle Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori received plenty of comparisons to current and former stars before the draft, and naturally, those comparisons come with some high expectations.

However, that's far from a bad thing for the former South Carolina star.

“I love those expectations,” Emmanwori said, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic . “But, of course, I’m going to make my own imprint on the league.”

Of all the comparisons Emmanwori received, one stood out to him: legendary Seahawks defensive back Kam Chancellor. The two had nearly identical measurements coming out of college, and both share a similar play style as versatile, hard-hitting safeties.

Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

If the Seahawks, with their strong group of defensive backs, want to recreate the Legion of Boom, Emmanwori knows exactly who he'd like to replicate.

“We’re looking to recreate the Legion of Boom,” Emmanwori said. “Especially if I can fit in with the Kam Chancellor type of role.”

The two safeties' similarities are more than just coinicidence. Emmanwori's defensive backs coach at South Carolina was none other than Torrian Gray, who had the same job when Chancellor was at Virginia Tech. While he thought for a long time that Chancellor was a one-of-a-kind player, Gray sees a lot of his game in Emmanwori.

“You’re getting a generational-type guy as far as a body type,” Gray said during an interview on May 1. “He’s a different breed.”

Emmanwori's fall to the second round was the Seahawks' gain, as they were able to trade up and nab him at No. 35 overall. After that slide, he's on a mission to prove several teams wrong.

“I’mma show the rest of the teams that passed on me,” Emmanwori said. “I can’t wait to show them what type of player I am and just make ‘em regret it.”

More Seahawks on SI stories