South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori wows with NFL combine workout

Jeff LegwoldFeb 28, 2025, 07:31 PM ET

CloseJeff Legwold covers the Denver Broncos at ESPN. He has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years and also assists with NFL draft coverage, joining ESPN in 2013. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999, too. Jeff previously covered the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans at previous stops prior to ESPN.

INDIANAPOLIS — South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori put himself on the shortest of lists with his work Friday at the NFL scouting combine.

Emmanwori, who is the No. 2 safety on ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest Big Board and was the No. 27 pick in Kiper’s latest mock draft, made the most of his workout at Lucas Oil Stadium during the combine’s second night of on-field drills.

The 6-foot-3⅛, 220-pound All-American safety blistered the 40-yard dash in an official 4.38 seconds and had a staggering 43-inch vertical jump and 11-foot-6 standing broad jump to go with smooth work in position drills.

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According to ESPN Research, it made him one of just four players 6-3 or taller to have topped 40 inches in the vertical jump and run a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash since 2003. Bryce Ford-Wheaton (2023), Tariq Woolen (2022) and DK Metcalf(2019) are the others.

Emmanwori is also the only safety at the combine since at least 2003 to have a sub-4.4 40, jump at least 40 inches in the vertical and jump at least 11 feet in the broad jump.

He had predicted Thursday at the combine that he could put up eyebrow-raising numbers in his workout. Asked what he might run in the 40, Emmanwori quickly offered “4.3.”

“I heard a little bit of talks about being the fastest DB,” Emmanwori said Thursday. “I do think I am one of the fastest. Top three, maybe top five for sure. … I don’t think you’ve ever seen a safety like me. Well, there are a lot of dudes that came through this league, but a safety like me hasn’t come through this league for a long time. My size, my speed, my ability.”

Last season, Emmanwori was one of two players in the nation to return two interceptions for touchdowns as he finished with 88 tackles and four interceptions overall.

In his latest mock draft, Kiper had the Baltimore Ravens select Emmanwori with the No. 27 pick. ESPN’s Matt Miller has Emmanwori at No. 28 in his latest rankings, and Jordan Reid has Emmanwori as his No. 2 safety on the board.

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