2025 NFL Scouting Report: Nick Emmanwori

Prospect Summary:

Over the past three seasons, Emmanwori has been one of the best safeties in college football. He had an excellent debut with 85 tackles as a freshman. In 2023, he had 71 tackles, 10 passes broken up, and two interceptions in 11 games. As a junior, Emmanwori had 83 tackles, two passes broken up, and four interceptions, with two returned for a touchdown. He had an interception returned for a touchdown against Kentucky, another returned for a score against Oklahoma, and had a 102-yard touchdown pick-six that had the return whipped out on a suspect penalty versus LSU.

In coverage, Emmanwori has great speed, quick feet, and is extremely athletic with a rare ability to cover receivers for a big safety. He is real asset to defend the deep part of the field, and Emmanwori covers receivers like a smaller free safety. Emmanwori is very fast and shows it routinely as in an instant he will race over from the middle of the field to the sideline to break up passes or pick them off. He can serve as the single high safety to protect his defense vertically. Those kind of safeties with Emmanwori’s size, interception skills, length, and instincts are extremely hard to find.

Another thing that sets Emmanwori apart is great instincts. He is a natural football player that has a lot of experience against top competition. Emmanwori doesn’t get caught out of position, and is smart to read quarterback’s eyes. His great instincts led him to jump routes and get deep to defend the back end of the field. After getting interceptions, Emmanwori is dangerous on returns.

In the ground game, Emmanwori is a willing tackler who will come downhill to attack ball carriers. Sources say Emmanwori is not overly physical, but his physicality is adequate and is not a weakness. Emmanwori definitely has the size and strength to be the eighth man in the box.

With his skill set, Emmanwori can be an interchangeable free or strong safety that makes things hard on quarterbacks to know what he will do post-snap. Emmanwori looks like a quick starter and he could turn into one of the top safeties in the NFL. In the 2025 NFL Draft, Emmanwori is worthy of going as high as the middle of the first round. Team sources think he could range from the middle of the first round to late in the first round. If he slips to the second round, that will be because NFL teams value safeties lower in the draft. If Emmanwori were to fall to Friday night of the draft, he won’t last long and will get selected quickly.