The next evolution? How Seahawks star can baffle opponents even more

As a rookie last season, Nick Emmanwori quickly established himself as one of the most integral players on the Seattle Seahawks’ top-ranked scoring defense.

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With his rare combination of size, speed and athleticism, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori filled up the stat sheet as a big-time playmaker. But even more importantly, he provided head coach Mike Macdonald an ultra-versatile chess piece to move around the field and dictate the terms to opposing offenses.

Emmanwori’s unique skill set – combined with Macdonald’s creative genius – essentially gave Seattle the ultimate cheat code in today’s NFL: A hybrid defender who’s big enough to play linebacker against heavier offensive formations, yet fast enough to serve as a nickel corner against lighter sets.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck elaborated on that dynamic during a recent appearance on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, explaining how Emmanwori can twist opposing offenses into knots.

“Most people try to get in this cat-and-mouse game with defenses: Are you going to go base personnel, or are you going to go nickel personnel?” Hasselbeck said. “Because if you’re going to go nickel personnel – meaning five (defensive backs) – we’re going to go with bigger people and run it down your throat. If you’re going to go base personnel, then we’re going to go to more of our passing personnel, and then we’re going to throw it on you.

“And that just goes away with the Seahawks, because they get to play so much nickel with Nick Emmanwori being that nickelbacker, and it’s kind of like having a linebacker out there. It reminds me early in my career when Kam Chancellor was my teammate and even Lawyer Milloy. Those dudes were technically DBs, but they were every bit as powerful in the run game and the blitz game.

“And so, like, what do we do? How do we categorize that? It doesn’t fit into our spreadsheets.”

The next evolution in Emmanwori’s game?

Yet for as great as his rookie campaign was, the 22-year-old Emmanwori may still just be scratching the surface of his potential.

Earlier this month, Macdonald told Brock and Salk that the Seahawks plan to continue expanding Emmanwori’s role and finding new ways to unleash his talent – which certainly is a scary thought for opposing teams.

So, what could be the next evolution in Emmanwori’s game. One possibility is using him more often as a pass-rushing threat on the edge. Emmanwori was seen by reporters at minicamp practice earlier this month working with five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence on pass rush techniques.

“I’m just trying to evolve my game just like how the NFL game is evolving,” Emmanwori said earlier this month when asked about working with Lawrence. “I’m trying to just be the front-runner in leading that way, so I’m working with the edges. Law was out there giving me tips and just trying to get me going in that lane.”

Last season, Emmanwori played 113 of his 944 defensive snaps on the edge, according to Pro Football Focus. He was credited with 20 total pressures on 72 pass rush snaps.

How could increasing Emmanwori’s pass-rushing presence further complicate matters for opposing offenses? Hasselbeck delved in.

“Now you’re literally wasting offensive tackle on him,” Hasselbeck said. “You have to account for him as a D-lineman, and he’s quick and probably learning some great pass rush moves. But he could also just drop out. And now you’ve got your best pass protector – who you’re paying a ton of money – blocking nobody because (Emmanwori) just drops out and we get a pass rush on the other side with a blitz or a three-man rush.

“So, the creativity and options for the coaching staff and the headaches for the quarterbacks – it’s just all this crap you’re thinking about. They still just got 11 on the other side, yet it’s like mental gymnastics to try to figure out which 11.”

Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation with Matt Hasselbeck at this link or in the audio player above. Tune into Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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