‘One of a kind’: Seahawks’ Emmanwori showcases unicorn skill set

With his Swiss Army knife skill set, Seattle Seahawks defensive standout Nick Emmanwori transcends football’s usual positional descriptions.

The numbers behind Seahawks’ defensive masterpiece vs Chiefs

He’s a defensive back. He’s an off-ball linebacker. He’s an edge rusher.

All in one.

And on Sunday night, Emmanwori put his unicorn-like versatility on full display while making impact plays all over the field in Seattle’s smothering 20-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

“He’s one of a kind,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Monday.

Emmanwori’s biggest play came in the second quarter, when he lined up as an off-ball linebacker, raced into the backfield on a blitz and used his blazing speed to chase down superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a play-action bootleg. Emmanwori’s pressure forced Mahomes into an errant pass that safety Ty Okada intercepted.

In the third quarter, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori lined up in the slot on speedy wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who ran a record-breaking 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL scouting combine. Despite having an extra 55 pounds on Worthy, Emmanwori mirrored him step for step on a vertical route downfield and sealed him off to force an incompletion.

And to top it off, Emmanwori continued to showcase his emerging talent as an edge defender. On one particular play, he set the edge on an outside run and exploded off his block to take down NFL rushing leader Kenneth Walker III. On another, he peeled off the edge to break up a short pass intended for Walker.

“Most versatile player in the league,” Seahawks star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said. “Being able to put his hand in the dirt and then guard receivers – I’ve never seen a player like him. He’s a special player.”

In addition to his highlight-reel plays, Emmanwori’s positional flexibility helps unlock one of the biggest keys to Seattle’s defensive success – defending the run at an elite level from nickel and dime packages. It enables the Seahawks to play most of their snaps with an extra defensive back or two on the field, without losing the ability to stop the run.

That dynamic was strikingly evident on Sunday night. Seattle held Walker to just 36 yards on 14 carries, while playing a combined 86.8% of its defensive snaps in either nickel or dime, according to Sumer Sports.

“Nowadays, offenses are so flexible where they can spread you out in ’13’ personnel and they can put you in a phone booth in ’11’ (personnel),” Macdonald told Brock and Salk. “You’ve gotta be able to kind of match the sets with as many of the same people as you can and try to dictate terms that way. Nick’s one of those players that allows that.”

Emmanwori, the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up, underwent ankle surgery in July and missed the season opener. But after returning to play limited snaps in Week 2, he steadily worked his way back into an every-down role.

Through six games, Emmanwori has 2.0 sacks, three tackles for loss and 10 pressures. In coverage, he has allowed just 12 catches on 19 targets for 86 yards, according to Sumer Sports.

Emmanwori has played 37.3% of his defensive snaps as a slot cornerback, 32.5% as a box defender and 28.4% as an edge rusher, according to Pro Football Focus. The latter is a major uptick from last season, when he played 11.5% of his snaps on the edge.

“There isn’t anything that he can’t do,” Seahawks star cornerback Devon Witherspoon said. “He can line up anywhere. He’s just that good.”

Seattle Seahawks news and analysis

• ‘Unguardable’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba outpacing his historic 2025
• Brock: What the Seahawks did that got offense back on track
• Seattle Seahawks Injury Updates: The latest on Shaheed, Cross and more

Related

Seahawks Status Report: What’s working, stock up, stock down and moreNFC West: Banged-up 49ers limp into bye week after 1st lossBrock: What the Seahawks did that got offense back on track‘Unguardable’ Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba outpacing his historic 2025The numbers behind Seahawks’ defensive masterpiece vs ChiefsSeahawks Injury Updates: The latest on Shaheed, Cross and more