The Seattle Seahawks are going to enter the 2026 campaign with a target on their back, but that’s what happens when you are the reigning Super Bowl champion. The Seahawks suffered some losses this offseason, but for the most part, they are retaining the majority of their team that just helped them take the league by storm last season.
One guy who could be set to take on a bigger role moving forward is second-year safety Nick Emmanwori. Filling a Swiss Army knife role for Seattle, Emmanwori immediately became a key part of the team’s defense, and he was key in helping this unit dismantle the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. You can make a case that Emmanwori is already a star, but not everyone around the league is sold on him just yet.
Nick Emmanwori Gets Put on Blast by Anonymous Executive
-Hamilton goes B2B -Derwin ⬆️ four spots -Bates holds on -Emmanwori ‘major upside’ -No. 10 with a Bullock
Seattle selected Emmanwori in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he quickly showcased his skills on defense. Rather than being used as a traditional safety, Emmanwori filled the gaps for the Seahawks all over the field. Sometimes, he was used as a deep-lying safety, but more often he was playing in the box, with head coach Mike Macdonald even using him on the defensive line for a handful of snaps.
Emmanwori can do a little bit of everything, and his versatility is part of what made his team’s defense so lethal last year. In 14 games, Emmanwori racked up 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and 11 pass breakups. That earned him a second-place finish in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race, with Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger beating him out for the award.
As a result of his strong rookie campaign, Emmanwori was recently voted the sixth-best safety in the NFL in a poll conducted by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, which included input from coaches, executives, and scouts from across the league. Generally speaking, Emmanwori is held in high regard across the league, but an AFC executive made it clear that they aren’t a fan of his game.
“One AFC executive countered that Emmanwori has ‘one-trick pony’ to his game because he doesn’t play as well going backward as some of the top safeties,” Fowler wrote.
Nick Emmanwori Still Has Something to Prove in 2026
GettyRENTON, WASHINGTON – JUNE 11: Nick Emmanwori #3 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts during practice at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on June 11, 2026 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images)
It wouldn’t be hard for Emmanwori to become a bit complacent after enjoying the sort of rookie campaign he just did. After all, it’s not often that a rookie enters the league and immediately plays a major role in helping his team win a Super Bowl, but that’s precisely what Emmanwori managed to do last season with the Seahawks.
And yet, there is still a lot of room for him to grow. Emmanwori is a skilled tackler who can be quite disruptive when playing downhill, but when used as a more conventional safety, he has his flaws. The sky’s the limit for Emmanwori, and you can bet this assessment of him will light a fire underneath him as he attempts to take another step forward in 2026.
Anonymous Executive Rips Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori — ‘One-Trick Pony’