Nick Emmanwori NFL Draft Projection: 3 best landing spots for South Carolina safety

South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori looks to be one of the top safety prospects in the 2025 NFL draft and will be hoping to improve his draft stock at the NFL Combine this week.

Emmanwori will meet with team officials from across the league, hoping to come across well to the people who matter.

After an excellent 2024 campaign where Emmanwori was named First-team All-SEC and First-team All-American, he declared for the NFL draft, forgoing his senior season.

Nick Emmanwori NFL draft profile

NCAA Football: South Carolina at Oklahoma - Source: Imagn

In 2024, South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori had his best campaign to date. He totaled 88 tackles and claimed four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns in the process.

This is what NFL analyst Lance Zierlein had to say about Emmanwori on NFL.com:

"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 added that when Emmanwori "gets it cranked up," he is an "effective tackler" and "overall run-stopper from sideline to sideline."

Emmanwori's excellent 2024 campaign improved his draft stock, and he now projects to fall somewhere between the mid-first and second rounds of the 2025 NFL draft.

Nick Emmanwori NFL Draft Projection: 3 best landing spots for South Carolina safety

#3 - Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals defense was the main reason they missed the 2024 playoffs. Despite having Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase playing arguably their best football yet, they missed out after finishing 9-8.

To improve their reeling defense, they could grab Nick Emmanwori to start right away at safety, with Vonn Bell set to become a free agent and Geno Stone failing to live up to expectations.

#2 - Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have the 27th overall pick and could use that on Nick Emmanwori.

The Ravens are due to lose starter Marcus Williams in free agency, meaning they'll need to replace him in either free agency or the draft. Emmanwori could come in and learn alongside superstars S Kyle Hamilton and CB Marlon Humphrey.

#1 - Miami Dolphins

Arguably, no team across the NFL needs a safety more than the Miami Dolphins. Miami is due to lose starting safeties Jordan Poyer and Jevon Holland in free agency.

The Dolphins pick at #13 overall, which some may see as a reach but if Emmanwori impresses at the NFL Combine, don't be surprised if his name is called early on draft night.