South Carolina All-American named "Freak to Watch" ahead of NFL Combine
Anyone who has watched South Carolina football product Nick Emmanwori play football understands that he is a special physical talent. At 6’3″ and around 225 pounds, the Irmo native was one of the fastest players on the team during his time on campus, and his production on the field mirrored that of a player simply more gifted than 90% of his opposition.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Emmanwori earned a spot on The Athletic‘s Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks List last preseason. Along with Gamecock receiver Nyck Harbor (who was No. 1), Emmanwori drew praise from Feldman for his impressive physical attributes. At No. 11, he held a prominent spot on the list, but on Friday, he featured more prominently. As Feldman revisited his Freaks List ahead of the NFL Combine (now called “Freaks to Watch” at the NFL Combine, Emmanwori slotted in at No. 1.
Said Feldman about Emmanwori: “For a while, he was the best-kept secret in the SEC. He made 156 tackles in his first two seasons of college football, including 24 in two games against Georgia. He was No. 11 on the 2024 Freaks List after he put up spectacular numbers last season, broad-jumping 11-4, vertical-jumping 42 inches, and completing 24 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press in addition to squatting 565 pounds. The former three-star recruit was lights-out again last season, earning first-team All-America honors after leading the team with 88 tackles, to go with four interceptions and three tackles for loss. He turned 21 this month. At 6 feet three inches and 220 pounds, he ran, I’m told, a 4.35 in the 40 last week.”
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For context, the testing numbers Feldman reports for Emmanwori are beyond elite. The South Carolina standout’s 4.35 in the 40 would have ranked No. 1 among safeties at last year’s NFL Combine. So would his 42-inch vertical. Just one safety had a better broad jump last year and none of them benched 225 pounds 24 times. Making the numbers even more impressive, Emmanwori would have been the second-tallest and third-heaviest safety in attendance.
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With those numbers on the table for the South Carolina All-American, it’s easy to see why Feldman ranked him first. Former Gamecock Jordan Burch also ranks sixth on Feldman’s updated list.
With Emmanwori potentially at the top, South Carolina football has a chance to break its all-time record for players selected in a single NFL Draft. The Gamecocks have 11 players invited to next week’s NFL Combine. That number jumps to 12 if punter Kai Kroeger’s specialist showcase invitation is considered. South Carolina had seven players drafted in both 2009 and 2013.
