A few days remain before the Patriots and Seahawks clash in Super Bowl LX, with one team set to hoist the Lombardi and etch their name among football immortals. However, the road to victory won’t be easy for anyone. Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and his unit face the league’s top-ranked defense, led by a chaos-creating defender who demands constant attention. McDaniels has a direct message for his O-line to neutralize that threat.

“Reminds us of some semblance of Kyle Hamilton, Derwin James. He’s [Nick Emmanwori] in that same mold as a guy that plays more near the line of scrimmage than not,” McDaniels said on the Ross Tucker podcast. “We know that we do not expect him to be 20 yards from the line of scrimmage much. So we have to account for him on every snap.”

Josh McDaniels is driving home a clear point: the offensive line must shadow Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori on every single play, no exceptions. In a Super Bowl where split-second decisions define champions, forgetting him even once could mean a sack on Drake Maye or a stuffed run that kills a drive.

However, the game plan looks daunting when you see how Emmanwori glides across the field.

The rookie safety has emerged as a cornerstone of the Seahawks’ defense this season, serving as their go-to big nickel package player. That role lets him disrupt both the pass and run games with equal menace. It’s this dual-threat ability that makes Nick Emmanwori so special and a nightmare for offenses like New England’s.

Typically, a linebacker fills the spot where Emmanwori thrives, but linebackers often excel against the pass yet struggle to stonewall runs right at the line. Not Emmanwori, who at 6’3″ and 220 pounds is built to intimidate wide receivers while chasing tight ends and running backs. His blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash speed lets him explode downhill and close gaps in a flash.

Drafted in the second round out of South Carolina, Emmanwori has drawn comparisons to elite safeties in just his first NFL season but still manages to stand out.

Nick Emmanwori mirrors Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James

Nick Emmanwori’s rookie campaign has drawn rave reviews, linking him to some of the league’s biggest defensive stars. Those associations explain why Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has unlocked so much potential from the newcomer.

When Macdonald served as defensive coordinator for the Ravens in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the team drafted safety Kyle Hamilton as a rookie. For two years, Macdonald honed how to use smart, adaptable players like Hamilton.

Emmanwori has mirrored that flexibility perfectly. He’s posted 81 tackles (56 solo), 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and 34 blitzes on the quarterback. That’s an edge over Hamilton’s rookie output of 62 tackles, two sacks, five quarterback hits, and 24 blitzes. Derwin James, however, set an even higher bar in his own rookie year, earning a Pro Bowl nod with 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hits, and 52 blitzes.

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What’s fascinating is how Emmanwori blends Hamilton’s coverage range and blitz instincts with James’ physical run-stuffing and pass-rush pop. That mix creates pure unpredictability. It forces quarterbacks to hesitate, playing right into Seattle’s stingy defense. So, if Josh McDaniels’ O-line falters in accounting for him, it could spell trouble with a loss at the big game.