2 weeks Ago
COLUMBIA — So he had to wait longer than he thought he would. Good things come, etc. South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori was selected in the second round of the NFL draft on April 25, going to Seattle with the 35th overall pick.
Projected as a first-rounder, Emmanwori sat through a frustrating night on April 24 as 32 names that weren't his were called. But he's used to being overlooked. The Irmo product chose USC because it was his only major offer out of high school, then became an All-American safety as a junior after a Freshman All-American season in 2022.
Emmanwori celebrated with friends and family at his Irmo home. The value of his first contract is expected to be a total of $11.5 million for four years, including a guaranteed signing bonus of just over $2.
8 million. Always considered one of the best safeties in the draft pool, Emmanwori shot up draft boards due to his offseason workouts and NFL Scouting Combine performance. There were other defensive backs chosen before him, but he was the second true safety to go after Georgia's Malaki Starks.
Standing a tad over 6-foot-3 and weighing 220 pounds, Emmanwori clocked a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash and vertical-jumped 43 inches. He broad-jumped well over 11 feet.
He was the only safety since at least the 2003 combine to post numbers like that. He finished his USC career with a team-high 88 tackles last year and returned two of his four interceptions for touchdowns. Another pick-six was called back due to penalty.
T.J. Sanders was snapped up in the second round of the NFL draft.
Defensive tackle T.J. Sanders was taken six picks later by Buffalo, who traded up with Chicago to get him.
A second-team All-SEC selection, Sanders started nine games in 2024. He had 50 tackles, seven for loss, with four of those being sacks. He also defended one pass.
While other linemates such as Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart got more of the accolades, Sanders quietly earned respect as one of the most pro-ready players in the draft. From Marion, Sanders is slotted to earn $10.6 million for his first contract with a $2.
6 million signing bonus. At 6-3 and 305 pounds, Sanders started 16 of 39 games over four years, totaling 109 tackles with 171⁄2 tackles for loss and 91⁄2 sacks. The final day of the draft, encompassing rounds 4-7, begins at noon on April 26.
Several Gamecocks, including Tonka Hemingway, O'Donnell Fortune, Rocket Sanders and Kai Kroeger could hear their names called..
