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Nick Emmanwori sets NFL Combine on fire with elite testing numbers
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Nick Emmanwori entered the NFL Combine as one of the top overall prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. He’ll leave Indianapolis as one of the top on-field testers, only furthering his case to be a high draft pick.
Even before working out in Indy, Emmanwori checked in as the 25th overall prospect in this year’s draft, according to NFL.com expert Daniel Jeremiah. The South Carolina star has drawn comparisons to a pair of All-Pro safeties in Kam Chancellor and Derwin James, and those comparisons aren’t going away anytime soon.
When Emmanwori tested with the other safeties on Friday, he turned in an eye-popping 43″ vertical jump to go with an 11’6″ broad jump. Those numbers are impressive for any player but stand out for Emmanwori who was measured at a hair over 6-foot-3 and weighed in at 220 pounds.
According to the NFL Next Gen Stats, Emmanwori’s 43″ vertical is the best in combine history for any player weighing at least 200 pounds. Only 2 safeties have ever done better than 43.5″ at the combine regardless of weight, and Emmanwori’s 43″ measurement is already tied for the 4th-best by a safety at the combine.
In the 40-yard dash, Emmanwori put a perfect cap on his performance with a 4.40 time in his first run, and he bettered that time with a 4.38 (now official) time on his 2nd run. That puts him almost a full second faster than Derwin James who ran a 4.47 during his turn at the combine.
Overall, Emmanwori’s physical makeup compares favorably to former Ole Miss wide receiver DK Metcalf. While Metcalf weighed a bit heavier with a faster 40-yard dash, Emmanwori’s vertical trumped Metcalf’s vertical from the combine.
It’s also worth pointing out that the star defender for Shane Beamer is not just a testing star like certain players. Nick Emmanwori was a first-team All-SEC and All-American for the Gamecocks this past season with 88 tackles, 4 interceptions and a pair of pick-6s to his credit.
He sure looks like a potential difference-maker at the next level and should be a key selection to join the list of all-time South Carolina draft picks when the draft rolls around.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
