What made Kyle Hamilton such an attractive draft prospect for the Baltimore Ravens to select him with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft? Was it the fact that, in three years at Notre Dame, he made an All-American list every year? Or that he stands 6-foot-4 and offers the kind of versatility the game is evolving toward? Or maybe the monster numbers he put up at the combine to support his on-field abilities?
Really, it’s a miracle Hamilton slid to the Ravens—that’s how highly touted a prospect he was. Safe to say, the pick has paid off, as Hamilton has become one of the premier safeties in the league.
What if I told you there’s another, less-proven, Kyle Hamilton-esque player in this year’s draft who could fall to the Ravens at No. 27 overall?
The Ravens’ secondary took a big step forward when Ar’Darius Washington stepped in for Marcus Williams in Week 11. Now, with Williams gone, it seems like the Ravens have their ideal safety pairing. But sometimes, you just have to take a chance on special players.
NFL Draft Profile: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220 lbs.
Emmanwori grew up and played football in Irmo, South Carolina. He flew under the radar as a three-star recruit before committing to his hometown Gamecocks. He made an immediate impact in Columbia, earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors in his first year. After a step back in 2023—playing 12 of 13 games with 47 tackles and just two interceptions—he bounced back in 2024, leading a much-improved Gamecocks defense to a 9-4 record. That earned him First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors. Even so, he likely wasn’t on many radars until his monstrous showing at the combine.
Emmanwori ran a 4.39 40-yard dash (second fastest among safeties) and recorded a 43-inch vertical jump while leaping 11 feet, six inches in the broad jump (both first among safeties). For reference, the only safety who ran a faster 40, Marques Sigle (by .01 of a second), had a 38-inch vertical and a broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches. Emmanwori immediately caught the attention of Ravens fans dreaming of a defensive backfield with him and Hamilton.
Positives
Versatility: Emmanwori has the frame of a linebacker but the athleticism of a defensive back. He fits the mold of players like Hamilton and Trenton Simpson, giving Zach Orr another chess piece for creating unique defensive looks. His combination of size and speed allows him to cover both tight ends and smaller running backs.
Negatives
Coverage ability: He struggles in single-high coverage, which can lead to overcompensation and penalties like holding and pass interference. His tunnel vision sometimes prevents him from seeing the full field, limiting his range as a deep safety.
What he can bring to the Ravens
The good news? A lot of his weaknesses sound like the same issues Kyle Hamilton struggled with as a rookie—and he was an All-Pro just a year later. If the Ravens draft Emmanwori, there’s little doubt that Hamilton and Chuck Pagano could help him work through those flaws.
But what could he bring right now? He embodies the Ravens’ defensive identity: fast and physical. And above all else, he brings what was listed as his biggest strength—versatility—allowing the Ravens and Orr to throw different looks at offenses and keep them off balance.