The NFL world just confirmed what South Carolina fans already knew—Gamecocks safety Nick Emmanwori is a phenomenal athlete.
The former Irmo standout and three-year South Carolina starter stole the spotlight at the NFL Combine this weekend. But just how remarkable was his performance?
Some believe it ranks among the best in NFL Combine history.
Measuring in at 6-foot-3⅛ and 220 pounds, Emmanwori showcased his elite athleticism with a blistering 4.38-second 40-yard dash, a 43-inch vertical, and an impressive 11′ 6″ broad jump.
A quick Google search shows just how much buzz Emmanwori has generated.
According to NBC’s Pro Football Talk, he is the only safety in NFL Combine history to run a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash while also surpassing 43 inches in the vertical jump and 11 feet in the broad jump.
A USA Today article, titled “He ran like the Flash and jumped like an Olympian. A combine performance for the ages.” described Emmanwori’s showing as “arguably the best one ever” at the NFL Combine.
According to ESPN Research, he joined Bryce Ford-Wheaton (2023), Tariq Woolen (2022), and DK Metcalf (2019) as just the fourth player 6-foot-3 or taller to clear 40 inches in the vertical jump and run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash since 2003.
Then there’s the Relative Athletic Score (RAS)—a metric developed by Kent Lee Platte that evaluates a prospect’s athleticism relative to others at their position.
According to RAS, Emmanwori’s performance made him the single most athletic safety in the time period (1987-present) that the metric tracks.
Emmanwori earned a perfect 10.0 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), a mark that would have ranked just as highly among cornerbacks and wide receivers—trailing only Calvin Johnson among wideouts.
Already ranked as Mel Kiper’s No. 2 safety and a projected first-round pick, the veteran analyst also included the former All-American among 18 players on the rise after the combine.
While his record-breaking performance is dominating headlines, South Carolina fans will remember Emmanwori’s consistent on-field production throughout his three seasons with the Gamecocks.
A four-star recruit and an On3 outlier for South Carolina, Emmanwori made an immediate impact, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2022 before finishing his college career as a first-team All-American in 2024. Over 37 games (36 starts), he racked up 244 tackles and six interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.
This weekend, he put the finishing touch on one of the best careers by a South Carolina defensive back with one of the most impressive performances in NFL Combine history.
