Seahawks DB Nick Emmanwori gets ‘1-of-1’ praise from veteran teammate

The Seattle Seahawks are coming off of a magical season that saw them win Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots in dominant fashion, but they have already turned the page to their repeat bid in 2026.

While last year’s Seahawks team was elite on both sides of the ball and had a lot of key veterans, the young talent on this roster has Mike Macdonald and company set up very well for the future. Chief among those young players is star nickel Nick Emmanwori, who immediately emerged as one of the best defensive backs in all of football as a rookie last season and was a key player on the best defense in football.

Heading into year two, Emmanwori has only continued to impress his Seahawks teammates. On Wednesday during Seattle’s offseason program, starting safety Julian Love gushed about just how special the South Carolina product is, via Brady Henderson of ESPN.

Nick Emmanwori finished second in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025. Here was Julian Love on the Seahawks’ do-it-all safety as he enters Year 2:

“He’s so special. He’s one of one in this league.” pic.twitter.com/MrvTaaveba

— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) June 3, 2026

“He’s so special. He’s one of one in this league,” Love said. “We give him comparisons to a lot of different players, but nothing is what he does. So if we can maximize him this year, I mean if he is the heart of this team this year, in terms of just talent, he’s really special.”

Emmanwori struggled with some injuries at times during his rookie season, which is to be expected for someone who plays such a physical style and is in the box as much as he is. In 14 games during the regular season, the former second-round pick finished with 11 pass breakups and nine tackles for loss while picking off one pass and collecting 2.5 sacks.

Emmanwori’s versatility is really what makes him such a weapon for Macdonald on defense. He is elite as a defensive back against the run due to his combination of strength and athleticism. He is very hard to block and doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty making tackles. In coverage, Emmanwori is an excellent zone defender and also shows improvement in man coverage in 2025.

If he can continue to improve on those skills like Love thinks he can, it won’t be long before Emmanwori is an All-Pro player in the league.

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