‘One of One': Fully Healthy Nick Emmanwori Continues to Wow as Seahawks Brace for 49ers’ Prolific Offense

RENTON, Wash. - Just in his second NFL season, Nick Emmanwori has much left to learn as he grows into one of the cornerstones of Mike Macdonald’s defense built around multiplicity, still far from a finished product for the Seattle Seahawks.

But at just 22 years of age, even as he remains a ways away from reaching his ceiling and can still be prone to an occasional unwanted penalty from time to time, Emmanwori reminded everyone why he may be the most exciting must-see attraction on a talent-laden, star-studded Seahawks defense - if not the entire league - in a 30-23 win over the Chargers last Sunday. One snap in particular highlighted the second-year defender’s one-of-a-kind versatility early in the first quarter, when he scrambled up and down the defensive line pre-snap before settling in as a defensive end in a four-point stance and all off the left side.

Rocketing out of his stance as if he heard the gun at the starting line of the 400-meter sprint at the Summer Olympics, Emmanwori slanted inside against left tackle Joe Alt, executing a lightning quick spin move back outside to force quarterback Justin Herbert to unload the ball before he wanted to, looking every bit like a capable NFL edge rusher at 230 pounds. Even though the pass netted eight yards, a completion didn’t come close to moving the sticks on 3rd and 11 with the quick pressure leading to one of five consecutive Chargers punts.

Running out of adjectives at this point to describe the equally versatile and disruptive Emmanwori, Julian Love could only marvel at the latest addition to his teammate’s growing list of roles, which already included both safety spots, nickel cornerback, and off-ball linebacker in his arsenal coming out of a sensational rookie campaign.