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At 6’3″ and 227 pounds with his athletic testing, the South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori highlights a star-studded draft class at the position. The 21-year-old could be the first safety taken and hear his name called before other notable players like Georgia’s Malaki Starks or Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts, who will likely be a first rounder as well.
While many versatile defensive backs could play some linebacker in the box or even nickel cornerback, there isn’t a physical freak like Emmanwori in this class. Plus, with his athletic testing, many can plug him in as a Kyle Hamilton or Derwin James type player for any defense that has shades of Kam Chancellor to his game, a player that can stuff the run and shut down tight ends.
Safety Nick Emmanwori Potential Top-15 Lock
Let Nick Emmanwori cook. 11’6” broad jump in addition to his 43” vert!
: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/w8ff6cmx0p— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2025
The junior had a career season with the Gamecocks, with 4 interceptions, including two to the house, 2 pass deflections, and 88 total tackles as a do-it-all safety. He was a First-team All-SEC and All-American for his performance last season, as he emerged in 2022 (SEC All-Freshman Team) with 85 total tackles. As the leader of the South Carolina defense, Emmanwori is a hot commodity.
Emmanwori was already a first-round pick but after his combine, could elevate himself as a top-15 selection in April for the 2025 NFL Draft. He had an 11’6″ broad jump and a 43″ vertical jump, top of the class. On top of that, Emmanwori ran a 4.4 in his first 40-yard dash (unofficial) and a 4.38 in his second attempt (unofficial). In terms of relative athletic testing (RAS), he’s already one of the top players in this year’s draft. According to Next Gen Stats, his vertical was the best by anyone weighing at least 200 lbs. ever since 2003 and the second longest broad at 220+ lbs. in Combine history.
At the Combine, so far, the star safety has met with teams with mid-first round picks like the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans. He may not make it there, as a team that could have a lethal safety duo if Emmanwori was drafted there would be the Baltimore Ravens with Hamilton (even if that is unlikely).
The funniest NFL comparison I saw was D.K. Metcalf at safety with his height, weight, and speed. The NFL teams mentioned will likely not get a chance at him, as the Carolina Panthers with the 8th overall selection could be a perfect fit in the top-10 or 15 range. Emmanwori also had or will have a meeting with the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday and today, according to SI, at the Combine.
Nick Emmanwori running a 4.38 at 6’3″ | 220 LBS is absurd
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2025
More must-reads:
- How ESPN plans to honor Lee Corso before final 'College GameDay'
- Archie Manning drops bombshell prediction on Texas QB grandson
- The '2024-25 NFL passing-yard leaders' quiz
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How ESPN plans to honor Lee Corso before final 'College GameDay'
Lee Corso is a college football legend, and his legacy on ESPN's "College GameDay" is rich and hard to top. Corso has been one of the premier college football analysts in the nation for nearly 40 years. He's been one of the "talking heads" on ESPN's "College GameDay" for 38 years, but his impact on college football is even deeper than that. Corso's last broadcast will be on Saturday, Aug. 30, from Columbus, Ohio, as "GameDay" prepares for the season-opening clash between Texas and Ohio State. Corso, 90, will be doing his final "headgear pick," which has become an iconic part of Saturday mornings for generations of college football fans. He'll then be signing off and saying goodbye to the show he's been a part of since 1987. On Thursday, ESPN announced that on the Friday evening before Corso's last show, it will air a one-hour special dedicated to Corso called "Not So Fast, My Friend: A Lee Corso Special." That will air on Friday, Aug. 22, at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, and it will re-air on ESPN2 on Saturday morning. "The primetime special will highlight Corso’s extraordinary life, his larger-than-life personality and the immeasurable impact he has had on college football as a player, coach and broadcaster," the press release stated. There will be many appearances in the special from notable names who have worked alongside Corso during his legendary career. That list includes Rece Davis, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Tim Brando, Chris Fallica and Maria Taylor, but there will also be appearances from notable college football coaches like Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney. Corso may be best known for his time on "GameDay," but he impacted college football in many ways outside of being a broadcaster. He was a cornerback at Florida State from 1953 to 1957, and he at one time held the school record for most career interceptions with 14. Corso was then a college head coach for nearly three decades with stops at Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois. He's made a massive mark on the sport and will be irreplaceable in the eyes of many college football fans for years to come.
Complete Recap Raiders vs. Seahawks: Good, Bad, Ugly
SEATTLE, Wash.—The Las Vegas Raiders returned Pete Carroll to the Pacific Northwest at beautiful Lumen Field tonight, but it wasn’t the outcome the future Hall of Fame head coach desired. The Raiders completed their first preseason game of the year with a 23-23 tie. It was a typical first preseason game for both teams in which they looked sloppy, made plenty of mistakes, but also gave their respective fan bases some things to cheer about. Pete Carroll was encouraged by his team competing to the very end. The Good Rookie quarterback Cam Miller had an impressive performance as he transitions from FCS to the NFL. Although it's worth noting that he wasn't facing the Seattle Seahawks' starting lineup, or even most of their second team, Miller completed six of seven passes for 76 yards and threw one touchdown, achieving an outstanding rating of 151.5. How big is the transition from FCS to the NFL? He mentioned in the locker room that he had never needed to use a silent snap count in college. Isaiah Pola-Mao (IPM), the emerging star, made a terrific interception early in the game against a strong group of Seahawks players. I believed that when he arrived as an undrafted free agent, he would need some time to develop, but that he had the potential to play at this level. So far, he has done nothing to change that opinion. I think he is a year away from reaching his full potential, but I expect him to become a Pro Bowl-caliber starter by 2026. Thomas Booker, a third-year defensive tackle from Stanford, delivered his best performance of the preseason tonight. He showcased impressive motor and mobility, making a strong statement on the field. He ended the game with four tackles but played a significant role in several other plays as well. The phrase "Can’t keep a good man down" perfectly describes sophomore running back Dylan Laube's journey. At the start of camp, there was speculation that if rookie Tommy Mellott could successfully transition to the role, Laube might be left behind. However, Laube has stepped up impressively, excelling on special teams and delivering a remarkable performance on offense. He recorded four rushes for 31 yards, one catch for six yards, and scored one touchdown. The Bad Wide receiver Alex Bachman has had one of the best preseasons of anyone on the team, earning a spot on the 53-man roster. However, a non-contact injury late in the first half raised concerns. During the game, he recorded two catches for 36 yards, but another impressive catch that gained significant yardage was nullified by a penalty committed by rookie offensive tackle Charles Grant. Carroll said afterward, when I asked about Bachman, that he had been hurt earlier in camp, but did return. The Ugly Aidan O’Connell, in the first half, had a challenging performance. He underthrew a deep ball intended for an open Dont’e Thornton, leading to an interception. Later, he was baited into making another poor throw, resulting in his second turnover of the game. Describing O'Connell's performance in the first half as disappointing would be an understatement; it was nothing short of ugly. He was 9/18, for 114 yards and had an abysmal rating of 30.6 to end the first half. Credit the Raiders and AOC. I didn't think they would keep AOC in to start the 2nd half. They did, and he immediately rewarded them with a TD drive, culminating in a TD pass to Dylan Laube—an enormous confidence builder for AOC. He finished the night 18/30, for 205 yards. His rating rose to 63.9. Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and talk to us in 2025 about the Raiders and more. While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss all Raiders content in 2025.
Paul Skenes continues home dominance in Pirates' shutout
Paul Skenes tossed six shutout innings and struck out eight to lead the host Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night. Despite allowing a career-high seven hits (five singles), Skenes (7-8) delivered another dominant performance to bolster his case for the National League Cy Young Award. Skenes also beat the Reds for the fourth time in four starts in his career and first time this season. Jared Triolo and Henry Davis each had two hits and two RBIs to give Skenes more than enough of a cushion to secure a win for the third time in his past four starts. It was Skenes' third consecutive start with eight or more strikeouts. It was also the Pirates' fifth shutout of the season in a Skenes start and their 14th overall shutout. It was the Reds' 10th shutout loss. Skenes lowered his major-league best ERA to 1.94 and continues to be exceptionally good at PNC Park, where he has not allowed an earned run since June 3. Bryan Reynolds, who also had two hits, homered in the first inning off Reds' starter Brady Singer (9-9), who lasted only 3 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits, walked four and struck out two. Reynolds' home run came with two outs. Singer proceeded to issue three consecutive walks to Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen and Jack Suwinski to load the bases, setting up a two-run single by Triolo, which gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Cruz and Spencer Horwitz each had an RBI and Davis belted a two-run home run off Reds reliever Brent Suter in the bottom of the seventh. Gavin Lux had three hits, and TJ Friedl and Matt McLain each had two hits to lead Cincinnati offensively. But the Reds went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base. McLain and Elly De La Cruz hit back-to-back singles off Skenes with one out in the first. But Austin Hays grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the threat. -Field Level Media
Rory McIlroy's controversial decision leaves PGA Tour 'very concerned'
Seventy players qualified for the first round of the playoffs at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, but only 69 will tee it up at TPC Southwind this week. That's because Rory McIlroy, who ranks second in the FedEx Cup standings behind only Scottie Scheffler, is skipping the first playoff event to prepare for the BMW Championship and Tour Championship. The PGA Tour isn't thrilled with his contentious decision. Peter Malnati, a PGA Tour pro and player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, told Golfweek he's "very concerned" the new playoff format allows top players in the standings to skip playoff events. "I think there is stuff in the works, and I'll leave it at that," he said. The PGA Tour must make changes because McIlroy won't face any repercussions for skipping the FedEx St. Jude Championship. As the No. 2 player in the FedEx Cup standings entering the postseason, McIlroy is guaranteed to qualify for the Tour Championship. Before this year, he would've been incentivized to improve his spot in the standings because of the advantage the starting strokes format gave the No. 1 player. That's no longer the case. This year, the Tour Championship will operate like every other tournament on the PGA Tour schedule. There will be no starting strokes advantage for the top players, so every player from No. 1 to No. 30 will have an equal chance to win the $10 million prize. It doesn't matter where McIlroy resides in the standings. It just matters that he makes it to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and he's already locked up his spot in the season finale. Why spend a week in scorching-hot Memphis when you could stay home and prepare for the tournament that actually matters, right? The new playoff format will make the Tour Championship more entertaining for fans, but it renders the other two playoff events irrelevant for the PGA Tour's top players. The Tour must make playoff events mandatory to prevent other stars from following McIlroy's lead.
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