NFL Draft Expert Compares South Carolina Star to All-Pro, Predicts Top-20 Selection

Good evening, I’m reporting live with exciting news from South Carolina football as they stand a real chance of breaking their program’s record for NFL Draft selections. The current record, set at seven picks in both 2009 and 2013, is now in serious jeopardy. This year, a remarkable 12 Gamecocks are set to participate in the NFL Combine, just weeks away.

Among those hopefuls, NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller of ESPN has singled out one Gamecock in particular for a potential breakout performance. All-American safety Nick Emmanwori is drawing serious attention. If Emmanwori takes part in the full workout in Indianapolis, Miller believes his physical testing results could propel him into the upper echelons of the draft.

On ESPN’s SportsCenter this Tuesday, Miller shared his bold prediction, saying, “Write this one down. Nick Emmanwori–the safety from South Carolina–to give you an NFL comparison, this is Derwin James 2.0.” Miller went on to detail the impressive attributes of the 6-foot-3, 225-pound safety: “He has run up to 23 miles per hour on GPS tracking, he has a 42-inch vertical jump, a 565-pound squat, and can also do 24 reps of 225 pounds.” Miller emphasized, “All those numbers are things we love to track and monitor at the NFL Scouting Combine.”

Miller continued to express his excitement, saying, “I’m hoping and praying we get to see a full workout from the South Carolina true junior, who I think has a shot to be a Top-20 pick in this year’s first round once it’s all said and done.” He believes Emmanwori could be an ideal fit for teams in need of a dynamic safety to cover tight ends and mobile quarterbacks.

Emmanwori has always been a standout athlete with impressive tackling ability, but this season, he showcased major improvements in his coverage skills and after-the-pick return ability. This well-rounded development has made him a hot prospect. Miller’s endorsement is backed by other prominent analysts, including Mel Kiper from ESPN, CBS Sports analysts, and Daniel Jeremiah from NFL Network, all of whom are projecting Emmanwori as a first-round pick. Even Lance Zierlein from NFL.com labels Emmanwori as a potential “plus-starter” at the NFL level.

The comparison to Derwin James has been a recurring theme this offseason. Emmanwori’s name has also been linked to Kyle Hamilton, a fellow safety who is making waves as an All-Pro with the Ravens. These comparisons are undoubtedly high praise for the South Carolina standout.

The NFL Combine kicks off on February 27th and runs through March 2nd in Indianapolis. This event could play a crucial role in enhancing Emmanwori’s draft stock, which will be closely watched as the 2024 NFL Draft takes place from April 24th to April 26th in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

While Emmanwori’s future looks especially bright, several other Gamecocks have also earned high praise. TJ Sanders, Kyle Kennard, and Demetrius Knight have all received impressive draft grades. Though Emmanwori and Sanders have stronger odds of being first-round selections, all four Gamecocks are highly regarded, with many analysts projecting at least one of them to be drafted in the first round. With strong defensive performances, it’s likely we’ll see these players taken in the early rounds of the draft, potentially in rounds one through three.

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the NFL Combine and Draft!