EXCLUSIVE: #Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori - First Post-NFL Draft Interview | #SeattleSports

Summary

In an exclusive post-draft interview with Seattle Sports, new Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori shared his journey into the NFL spotlight. Emmanwori, picked in the 2025 NFL draft, expressed his initial expectations of being selected earlier, but is thrilled to join Seattle. With a defensive mindset inspired by legends like Cam Chancellor, Emmanwori is ready to contribute his dynamic skills to the Seahawks. The conversation also touched on his football beginnings, transition from running back to defense, and his excitement about playing under coach Mike McDonald. Emmanwori is already pondering new connections within the Seattle community, including the local food scene. With a determination to make big plays and his sights set on future matchups, he's set to become a fan favorite.

Highlights

• Nick Emmanwori felt he should've been drafted earlier but is grateful to be with the Seahawks. 🎯
• Inspired by the Seahawks' legendary Legion of Boom, Nick is ready to bring his defensive prowess to Seattle. 💪
• Nick is excited about Seattle's food, especially pizza and seafood, ready to taste the local scene. 🍕🌊
• With roots in both soccer and basketball, Nick found his passion in football and never looked back. 🏃‍♂️
• Nick's scouting report is impressive: a versatile, fast 6'3" safety with great tackling and interception skills. 🔍

Key Takeaways

• Nick Emmanwori is pumped to be a Seahawk and believes it's the perfect landing spot for him after the draft. 🏈
• He's inspired by the legendary Legion of Boom and is eager to make his own mark in Seattle. 🔥
• Nick transitioned from soccer and basketball to football, and it seems he's found his true calling! 🌟
• He's excited about Seattle's culinary delights, especially the seafood scene. 🍣
• Emmanwori aims to impress with big plays, targeting iconic quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson for future interceptions. 🎯

Overview

Nick Emmanwori is buzzing after joining the Seahawks, feeling it's a great spot despite initial draft night jitters. The draft didn’t go as expected for him, thinking he’d be picked earlier, but Seattle was a team high on his list, and he's thrilled about the fit. Emmanwori's determination and chip on his shoulder are evident, as he talks about wanting to make an impact from the get-go.

Football wasn’t always the path for Nick, having initially tried his hand at soccer and basketball. However, once he played football, the joy it brought made it clear this was his calling. His high school years saw a notable transition from offense to a defensive powerhouse, leading to his current prowess as a safety.

Off the field, Emmanwori is eager to explore Seattle, particularly its food scene. He has a penchant for pizza and seafood, setting the stage for culinary adventures in the Pacific Northwest. His enthusiasm for the city and team is palpable, and he's ready to embrace every opportunity with the Seahawks.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction The chapter titled 'Introduction' discusses the excitement surrounding the 2025 NFL draft, particularly focusing on the positive reception of the Seahawks' picks. The conversation involves Nick Eban War, who shares his experiences and feelings about the draft night. The chapter captures the anticipation and enthusiasm of the fans and the player involved.
• 00:30 - 01:30: Draft Night Experience The chapter titled 'Draft Night Experience' captures the emotions and thoughts of an individual on draft night. The narrative reflects gratitude and the feeling of being blessed despite the anticipation and slight disappointment of not being picked earlier. The individual expresses love for being included on 'the list,' and recounts the mixed emotions of expecting to be selected sooner. Ultimately, the experience is portrayed as a meaningful and reflective moment.
• 01:30 - 03:30: Seattle Seahawks Selection Surprise This chapter discusses the surprise of a player's selection by the Seattle Seahawks during the draft. The player describes how the first round was focused on drafting bigger players like guards and tackles. This strategy resulted in other players, including himself, being pushed back in the selection process. Despite uncertainty and discussions with other teams, the player felt a strong connection with the Seahawks and is ultimately pleased to be selected by them. He shares that he had a note on his phone about this possibility even before the draft process began.
• 03:30 - 04:30: Admiration for Legion of Boom The chapter titled 'Admiration for Legion of Boom' explores an informal and personal conversation about the NFL. The speaker expresses admiration for particular NFL lists, notably for wide receivers and running backs. The discussion briefly transitions to individual experiences related to Seattle, mentioning personal journeys and surprises regarding sports trades, specifically referencing Seattle's sports team and moving trades. Furthermore, the narrative hints at other uses and implications tied to specific individuals in the sports context.
• 04:30 - 05:30: Playing Style Preference The chapter delves into the player's uncertainty and feelings during the draft process, specifically regarding which team he would join. Initially, the player thought he might be going to the Seattle Seahawks, especially after a trade involving Gino Smith and DK Metcalf picks. However, he later became unsure about his destination when the Seahawks picked in the second round at pick 18, leaving his future uncertain until the last moment.
• 05:30 - 06:30: Childhood Inspirations In the chapter 'Childhood Inspirations', the narrator recounts the suspenseful experience during the draft process. Initially unsure of their prospects and anticipating the second round, they received a phone call from the Seattle Seahawks, leading to confusion as they were unaware that the team was trading up to acquire them. Despite the brief moment of bewilderment, the narrator felt excitement and happiness upon learning they would be going to Seattle.
• 06:30 - 08:30: Early Sports and Football Journey The chapter covers the initial excitement and positive impressions of visiting Seattle, particularly from a sports perspective. The speaker describes Seattle as a beautiful city with a great team. The speaker mentions having a photo of the Legion of Boom on their Twitter page, which was added immediately after the draft, highlighting their admiration for players like Cam Chancellor, Sherman, and Earl.
• 08:30 - 09:30: Getting to Know Seahawks Coach The chapter focuses on the speaker's admiration for the Seattle Seahawks' legendary 'Legion of Boom' defense. The speaker reflects on viewing them as role models during their formative years as a player. The chapter highlights notable players like Richard Sherman and Cam Chancellor, emphasizing the excitement and impact of their playing style. The speaker expresses a genuine enthusiasm for being part of an organization he admired growing up.
• 09:30 - 10:30: Scouting Report on Nick Emanwori The chapter focuses on a scouting report for Nick Emanwori, highlighting his connection with Cam Chancellor. It discusses how Emanwori used to watch Cam Chancellor's highlights on YouTube, particularly enjoying the ones with Kevin Gates's song 'Really Really'. This became a ritual for him before games. Additionally, the chapter draws comparisons between Emanwori and Chancellor, noting that although Cam was not initially adept at playing the ball in the air, he developed the skill over time, becoming a highly skilled defensive back.
• 10:30 - 11:30: Connections on the Team The chapter discusses a player's strategic decision-making on the field, focusing on whether to prioritize intercepting the ball or physically tackling an opponent. The choice between these actions depends on the opposing team, with a specific mention of using physical tackles against the Niners.
• 11:30 - 12:30: First Seattle Visit In the chapter titled 'First Seattle Visit,' the speaker discusses his football preferences: intercepting the ball and running for touchdowns versus hitting opponents hard on the field. He expresses a fondness for both aspects of the game. The speaker also mentions the 49ers, recognizing them as a favorite, and engages with a supportive audience.
• 12:30 - 13:30: Favorite Foods The chapter 'Favorite Foods' includes a transcript where the speaker recalls growing up in South Carolina. They discuss their early influences in sports, particularly football, mentioning players they admired as a kid. These players include Shawn Taylor, although the speaker mostly watched his highlights, not live games. The impact and impression left by players like Shawn Taylor, Cam Chancellor, and Troy Polamalu, particularly their roles as safeties, are noted as significant to the speaker.
• 13:30 - 14:30: Settling into the Team The narrator reflects on past football seasons and players, reminiscing about the excitement brought by players like Cam Newton during his 2015 NFL season. They talk about the nostalgic feel of past NFL games and how these players energized entire regions, particularly mentioning the Carolina Panthers' influence on the Carolinas.
• 14:30 - 16:30: Anticipation for Playing Against NFL Stars The chapter discusses a conversation about Nick's sports journey during his growing years. It reveals that Nick played various sports before settling on football. His first real sport was soccer, but he struggled with scoring goals, which led him to eventually give it up. He also played basketball but it didn't satisfy him enough, which steered him towards football.
• 16:30 - 18:00: Deciding on Jersey Number The chapter begins with the speaker reflecting on their early sports experiences, stating that playing basketball did not provide them with the satisfaction they desired. They then transitioned into playing football, specifically as a running back, which brought them immense joy and thrills. This passion for football led them to stick with the sport alongside playing other sports during high school. The chapter concludes with the speaker mentioning that they switched from playing as a running back to a defensive position during their freshman year of high school.
• 18:00 - 18:50: Closing Remarks and Excitement for the Future The speaker reflects on their athletic journey, detailing their progression from playing running back to receiver in middle school, and further transitioning in high school. Starting as a receiver and defensive back during their freshman year, they had a notable performance with two interceptions in one game, which led to a permanent position on defense. They eventually settled into playing safety, marking their athletic development and hinting at their excitement for future opportunities.

EXCLUSIVE: #Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori - First Post-NFL Draft Interview | #SeattleSports Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Well, the 2025 NFL draft is in the books, Dave. And uh by all accounts, everybody very excited about what the Seahawks did, getting great grades, and a lot of it is because of this pick right here, man. Joining us on the Emerald Queen Casino Sportsbook hotline, Nick Eban War is with us. Nick, how are you, man? I'm good, man. Super blessed. Well, we're we're excited to talk to you. I know a lot of Seahawks fans are excited to have you here. And uh just take us through what that what that night was like for you, what the draft was like for you because I you you made some comments when you spoke with the
• 00:30 - 01:00 media uh at the very end where you said everybody is on the list. Every And I love that. I love that you got that chip. Everybody's on the list. So were were you thinking I was going to go earlier? I should have gone earlier. Take us through what you were feeling and how things were going that night. Yeah, man. Honestly, uh when it's all said and done, super blessed, super grateful, but uh yeah, throughout that whole process, it was a little little like, uh I don't know what the word is, but yeah, I feel like I should have gone a little sooner. Um I but you know, when
• 01:00 - 01:30 you realize like, you know, so kind of like the first round is like a big man draft, so a lot of teams are drafting like guards, tackles, dackles. So, it was like, you know, that pushes a lot of players back. So, a lot of the teams I I was talking to throughout the draft or like uh you know, but I'm not sure what's going on, but I landed in the right spot ultimately. Uh I know the Seahawks, uh they were high on me, had a great connection with them, so I'm glad I you know, end up going to the Seahawks. But yeah, man. You know, I got a uh in my notes in my phone, like before even the process, I kind of had
• 01:30 - 02:00 like a NFL it's personal list. So, like that's a funny thing I myself. Yeah, I love that. I love that. Nick, now now you just need to get like a wide receiver and running back list going that you can uh people that you can you can get after. But what how much did you know about Seattle and you know had you taken a trip out here before and you know was how shocking was it when you know they traded up to get you? The other thing Nick is that they used uh
• 02:00 - 02:30 the picks that they got from Gino Smith and DK Metaf u that they they packaged together to to move up. But um yeah, tell us tell us about how surprised you were it was Seattle or did you think that in the in the beginning? Uh yeah, so when I got on the call um I had a feeling I was going to go to the Seattle Seahawks, but after they um um in the second round, I knew they were pick 18 again. So I actually had I was like, "Yeah, I don't know where I'm going." So
• 02:30 - 03:00 that was like the one of the teams I was really like that really that that was really high on me. So I had no idea where I was going to go going to the second round. But then I got a call and then I seen like uh a team was on the clock but I was like I was kind of confused. I picked up the call and the seah like call him. I was like is this I didn't really get the correlation. I didn't know they were trading up. He didn't say they were trading up until like five or 10 seconds into the call. So I was like I was confused what was going on but then he told me he was trading up. So then I was pretty excited uh to go to Seattle. Uh so yeah I was
• 03:00 - 03:30 pretty happy man honestly going to Seattle. Uh had a great visit up there. I didn't really know a lot about the city, but um took a visit out there. It was a nice, beautiful city. Um yeah, great team, great spot, honestly. You know, I'm looking at your your Twitter page and you've got a picture of the Legion of Boom on your Twitter page. Is that something you put up after the draft or was that there before? Yeah, that was after the draft, like right after. Okay. Okay. Were were those player whether it was Cam Chancellor or Sherm or Earl or any of those guys were
• 03:30 - 04:00 they were those guys that you watched as a younger player looking up to those guys? Yeah, for sure. Uh the Legion of Boom like on just not saying it's cuz I'm a Seahawk or I just got drafted by them, but I think like the Legion of Boom is probably like one of the greatest defenses ever honestly. Especially like super fun to watch uh the the different players on that Seahawks team offense and defense. You know, you got, you know, Richard Sherman talking smack, Cam Chancellor coming out hitting dudes. Like, it was a fun defense to watch. So, I got like uh when I was like in high
• 04:00 - 04:30 school and stuff, I used to watch like this Cam Chancellor highlight video on YouTube with like the Kevin Gates uh really really song behind it and it, you know, I used to watch that before every game and uh so it was just what a coincidence. I actually go there. So, yeah. you know, um, a lot of comparisons and, you know, Cam didn't he wasn't great playing the ball in in the air, you know, when he was young, but he developed into a really skilled defensive back in that way. But the one
• 04:30 - 05:00 thing about him is he he could always, you know, step up in the box and just obliterate a receiver or running back. Which which part of that that those two things would you rather? I mean, I know getting the ball is always really important, but if you had to uh choose between an interception and just laying a guy out on third down, what would you take? Honestly, it depends what teams what team we're playing. If we're playing the Niners, uh I'll lay a dude out, but uh you know, any other team, you know, I'll
• 05:00 - 05:30 probably get an inter I'll get an interception, though. But honestly, man, I I like I kind of like both. you know, getting an interception is is awesome because I like to run running it back for touchdowns, but laying the dude out, you know, like taking his soul, uh, making him feel it, uh, that that that also feels good, too. So, Oh, you you just made more fans out here when you specified the 49ers. You know, your audience, Nick, you they are going to love you, my friend. Uh, so growing up, who are you who were you you
• 05:30 - 06:00 grew up in South Carolina, you went to South Carolina. Uh who who were the teams or players that you you sort of emulated or looked up to as a kid? Uh honestly the the players I used to watch and just um tune into whenever I had a chance. Um I I used to like Shawn Taylor. I didn't really watch a lot of his games, but I used to watch a lot of his highlights. Man, I uh never seen a safety like like Shawn Taylor quite much. Uh Cam Chancellor for one. Another one of those safeties. Troy Palamalu was
• 06:00 - 06:30 cool, too. like watching his highlights like he was like a like a cat out there jumping over piles and stuff. Um, offensively I used to watch Oh yeah, Cam Newton, man. That 2015 season for Cam Newton I was down in uh Colombia. He had the whole Carolina's lit lit up dude. So uh that that Panther season that was a great great time to be in Carolina. But yeah, the old NFL had a lot of great players, man. A lot of got a lot of great players, a lot of great names. Uh almost nostalgic. So,
• 06:30 - 07:00 hey, uh, when you were growing up, Nick, what were you just strictly a football player? Did you play other sports? And and and at what point did you be did you finally decide, "Hey, man, I'm a football player." Yeah. Uh, growing up, I played I played soccer as like my first kind of real sport. And I like soccer, but I just couldn't kick the ball in the net. So, I just kind of gave that up eventually. Uh and then I played basketball and ba uh basketball just didn't give me enough
• 07:00 - 07:30 like it didn't give me enough satisfication. So I wasn't satisfied with basketball. So then I played football. I played running back and I had like the best time of my life uh growing up. So that brought me the best joy and uh the best thrill. So since then I kind of stuck with football and I played like other sports on the side in high school. So you played running back. When did you switch to defense? Um, I switched to defense when I got to like my freshman year in high school.
• 07:30 - 08:00 So, I played running back and then I got a little taller, started playing receiver in middle school. And then my freshman year, I played receiver and defensive back, like receiver and cornerback. And then from there, I hit another growth spurt my sophomore year uh, in high school. And then I just I I remember had like two interceptions in one game as a freshman uh playing both sides and they just kept me on defense after that. Uh so then I played safety and then from there I was playing all
• 08:00 - 08:30 over the defense by the time I left my senior year of high school. Hey Nick, what do you what do you know about Mike McDonald? I mean, you got to love that he's a defensive-minded coach and, you know, we've just kind of gotten to know him and he's really he's really cool from the standpoint of just like his communication is very direct, you know, and he knows he knows how to make players great, especially, you know, in his defense. The safeties are are a big part of it. But tell us about your interaction with him and how excited you were to play play for him. Yeah, man. I'm super excited. Uh,
• 08:30 - 09:00 they're actually the Seahawks are actually my first formal interview at the combine. Uh, so had a great that was my first time actually like talking to the coaches. First time actually talking to an NFL team. So it was a great time. Had a great time doing that. And then uh when I came up for the uh the visit uh to talk to him, he's like a cool chill coach. Uh like we have good conversations about football like debates and stuff. Uh so he's a funny coach. I like I like coach Mike. And then uh we uh having a defensive head coach is always awesome because you know in practice you know like uh you know
• 09:00 - 09:30 when you have a defensive head coach in practice like they're not team they're not cheating for the offense you know they kind of take take the defensive side you know in college uh my coach S Beamer used to like cheat for the offense a little bit you know if he got a sack he wouldn't give us a sack a little bit so just a relief honestly. Hey, for for our listeners, Nick, that maybe didn't watch South Carolina games and they're they're just hearing you for the first time, give them a scouting report on Nick and Memorial. Like, tell them about what kind of player you are, what they're going to see out there with you. Yeah, scouting report. Um, say 6
• 09:30 - 10:00 6'3, 223 pound safety. Uh, twitchy, fast, good hips for my size. uh long, rangy, versatile, can line up anywhere from the deep uh deep post deep middle of the field down in the box to the outside uh at the nickel at the nickel spot. Um very physical towards the run. Uh sheds blocks, amazing. Um great tackler. Uh can do it all. So, wow, you
• 10:00 - 10:30 should have been on set for the draft, man. They should have had you on the NFL Network. Whenever I'm talking about myself, you know, I could do a good job, man. You know, that sound like you were reading the script. Destined to be a scout someday. Yeah, definitely. Hey, Nick, did you do you know anybody on the team and any any guys that you spent significant amount of time with? uh knowing I spent significant amount of
• 10:30 - 11:00 time, but I do know uh Ernest Jones. Yeah. Uh linebacker, he played at South Carolina. So, uh he kind of That's right. he kind of um he kind of got like his own little little uh legacy here at South Carolina. So, like when I was coming to school, I remember they used to talk about him at practice, how like he used to turn up practice and like he used to have he's like one of the leaders of the defense. So, when I came up for the visit, uh I had met him for the first time formally. So,
• 11:00 - 11:30 so when you came up for the visit, was that the first time you'd ever been to Seattle? First time. Wow. So, did you get a chance to to get out and see the city at all or were you kind of in and out? I didn't. I was kind of like in and out at the facility the whole time, but I did see like uh the skyline almost, you know, it's nice skyline. I was on the opposite side of the of the bridge, so I didn't really get to see the city or nothing. Well, Nick, we might as well get this going. Again, we we've done this in the past for guys that are new here in
• 11:30 - 12:00 Seattle, but what do you like to eat? We'll put it out to our listeners. They'll text in, you know, good restaurants, places around Seattle. What's uh what's your your favorite kind of food? I'm always kind of big on pizza. I like I like a good pizza. Uh love some good seafood. Um yeah, I kind of pretty much eat anything. Uh good, you know, maybe a good burger. I love a good burger, some Mexican food, seafood. Yeah. So, a
• 12:00 - 12:30 little bit of everything. And uh like I got like a little bit of a sweet tooth. So, like maybe like a little uh ice cream shop or like a spot I can get some sweets from. But yeah, that's you know, pretty much my go-to. Oh, you you're going to have a lot of suggestions, especially seafood. I mean, you're this is kind of the mecca of seafood out here, so you're you're in the right spot. Uh, so when when do you uh when do you come back to Seattle? Uh, come back to Seattle on Thursday. Uh, then I I think for like rookie mini
• 12:30 - 13:00 camp, then uh I leave uh at the end of that week and then I think I come back uh either the week the next week or the week after. So, okay. Nick, when you get out here for like at what point can they start to like send you information as far as uh looking at the defense and you know, I'm sure you'll be looking up Seahawk games and things like that just to kind of get a feel for it. But at at what point do you think that you know, you're going to be able to kind of grind in on the
• 13:00 - 13:30 details of this defense? Uh, I already been kind of like doing a little bit of grinding. I've been uh me and uh safeties coach, coach Howard, uh we've been uh doing a little bit of talking on Zoom and stuff, but uh nothing overly crazy, but I think, you know, like once I get there, I kind of uh pick things up really fast. Got a good recall, so I think I'll catch on pretty quick. Is Is there a uh a team or or maybe even a player that you're looking forward to to being on the opposite side of the field of like, man, I can't wait to be on the same field as
• 13:30 - 14:00 this guy or this team? I kind of I kind of um haven't really like checked our schedule. I don't think our schedule came out this year. Uh but I I'm not sure from in this conference. Maybe not in this conference. Um like which quarterback would be the most fun to pick off? Uh Lamar Jackson for me. Yeah. Take getting the pick from Lamar Jackson and uh taking it back to the end zone.
• 14:00 - 14:30 Like beating beating him to the end zone. So Hey Nick, as far as uh you know, I know this is very important to players and it's it's probably a little early for it, but as far as your number goes, what what are you thinking there? I mean, have you even thought about that? Uh it's been a little bit of a discussion, but I'm still kind of like trying to figure that out. Uh I know a lot of uh single digit numbers are taken at in Seattle. Uh there's a couple free uh there's a couple numbers in like the 20s, there's a number in the 30s. Um but
• 14:30 - 15:00 still in discussion about that. So, when I get up here uh Thursday, I'll figure out uh what number I'm probably going to rock. I got to, you know, see it on my body. Uh my body got to accept the number almost, you know. Sounds a little crazy. I love it. I love it. Well, Nick, uh congratulations on everything, man. I know I know fans out here are really excited and and you you threw out the Niners right there about knocking somebody out, putting them down and and you're you're you're in the good graces of Seahawk fans already. So, I know
• 15:00 - 15:30 they're excited. Congrats on everything. We're excited to see you out here. I I love that you got a list and uh we can't see you. Can't wait to see you nate uh knock some of these teams off that list. It's going to be a lot of fun watching you and can't wait to see you out here. Thanks so much for the time. Yes, sir. Appreciate it.