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The Seattle Seahawks won the 2025 Super Bowl thanks to a stellar defense, and rookie second-rounder Nick Emmanwori was a huge reason why they were so good last year.
Mike Macdonald got a lot out of Emmanwori, as he blossomed into a star player right away. But there is some room for improvement.
ESPN's Ben Solak believes that Emmanwori is close to becoming an All-Pro caliber player. To get there, Emmanwori needs to answer just one question about his game to truly become one of the top safeties in the NFL.
How Nick Emmanwori is one question from becoming an All-Pro
"To this point, Emmanwori is a unique X factor on a well-schemed defense," Solak writes. "If he can become a more trustworthy player dropping into zone, he'll truly ascend to that Kyle Hamilton/Derwin James Jr. tier of perennial All-Pro safety play."
While Emmanwori is great near the line of scrimmage, thanks to his incredible athleticism and 6-foot-3 size combination, there are some lingering question marks about his coverage in the secondary.
This past season, he allowed a 99.6 passer rating when targeted, allowing a 74.2 completion rate with 424 yards allowed and three touchdowns in 2025.
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He did record one interception, but compared to the top safeties in the NFL, Emmanwori's struggles in coverage were the reason why he's not a true All-Pro caliber defensive back just yet.
He can get there, and all it will take is improvement in coverage. He showed flashes during 2025, and there's no reason to believe the 2025 draft pick isn't capable of such a breakout.
But, until he does show improvement in pass coverage, there will be a big question about his game that's holding him back from truly being an All-Pro caliber player.
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