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The Cincinnati Bengals have the 17th overall pick in Thursday's first round of the NFL draft in Green Bay, and South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori is among the top defensive back prospects expected to be available in the middle of the round.
Emmanwori reportedly visited the Bengals in March. Emmanwori ranks 17th in Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL draft big board rankings of top prospects.
"Emmanwori is a former high school middle linebacker, and you can tell," Kiper wrote. "His size-speed combination is exactly what NFL defensive coordinators love on the back end. He jumps off the tape, and his ball skills are tremendous."
What to know about the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori:
Emmanwori's 43-inch vertical and 11-foot, 6-inch standing broad jump both ranked No. 1 among all players. He added a 4.38-second time in the 40.
According to ESPN Research, Emmanwori became one of just four players 6-3 or taller to top 40 inches in the vertical jump and run a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash since 2003, joining Bryce Ford-Wheaton (2023), Tariq Woolen (2022) and DK Metcalf (2019).
Emmanwori led his team with 88 tackles in his third and final season with the Gamecocks, starting all 13 games while recording four interceptions, and returning two for touchdowns.
Emmanwori had two interceptions against Oklahoma in Week 8, returning one for a score.
As a sophomore, Emmanwori started 11 games, recording 71 tackles, two INTs and eight pass breakups. As a freshman, Emmanwori earned freshman All-American and SEC all-freshman team honors, leading South Carolina with 85 tackles.
"He's a physical specimen with rare size and outstanding speed, but he doesn't always play with a 'first to the action' mentality in run support," Zierlein wrote in Emmanwori's NFL.com draft profile. "When he gets it cranked up, he becomes a much more effective tackler and overall run stopper from sideline to sideline. … A boost in urgency could take him from a good starter to a Pro Bowl-caliber player."
Emmanwori's brother, Okachi, played defensive back at Presbyterian, Wofford and Tennessee Tech.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Nick Emmanwori: South Carolina safety is NFL draft first-round hopeful
Continue reading...
Emmanwori reportedly visited the Bengals in March. Emmanwori ranks 17th in Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL draft big board rankings of top prospects.
"Emmanwori is a former high school middle linebacker, and you can tell," Kiper wrote. "His size-speed combination is exactly what NFL defensive coordinators love on the back end. He jumps off the tape, and his ball skills are tremendous."
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What to know about the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori:
Emmanwori impressed at the NFL combine.
Emmanwori's 43-inch vertical and 11-foot, 6-inch standing broad jump both ranked No. 1 among all players. He added a 4.38-second time in the 40.
According to ESPN Research, Emmanwori became one of just four players 6-3 or taller to top 40 inches in the vertical jump and run a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash since 2003, joining Bryce Ford-Wheaton (2023), Tariq Woolen (2022) and DK Metcalf (2019).
Last season, Emmanwori was named first-team Associated Press All-American and first-team all-SEC.
Emmanwori led his team with 88 tackles in his third and final season with the Gamecocks, starting all 13 games while recording four interceptions, and returning two for touchdowns.
Emmanwori had two interceptions against Oklahoma in Week 8, returning one for a score.
As a sophomore, Emmanwori started 11 games, recording 71 tackles, two INTs and eight pass breakups. As a freshman, Emmanwori earned freshman All-American and SEC all-freshman team honors, leading South Carolina with 85 tackles.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein says Emmanwori has 'rare NFL traits and talent.'
"He's a physical specimen with rare size and outstanding speed, but he doesn't always play with a 'first to the action' mentality in run support," Zierlein wrote in Emmanwori's NFL.com draft profile. "When he gets it cranked up, he becomes a much more effective tackler and overall run stopper from sideline to sideline. … A boost in urgency could take him from a good starter to a Pro Bowl-caliber player."
Emmanwori's brother, Okachi, played defensive back at Presbyterian, Wofford and Tennessee Tech.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Nick Emmanwori: South Carolina safety is NFL draft first-round hopeful
Continue reading...
