Nick Emmanwori makes feelings known after choosing Russell Wilson's jersey number for Seahawks

Nick Emmanwori was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft this year. His impressive college football career with the South Carolina Gamecocks made him one of the top safety prospects in this year's class. He was one of the first players picked from his position and has the upside to be a star defensive back.

One of the first big decisions he had to make after landing with Seattle was which jersey number he would wear for the upcoming season. He made a bold choice by picking the number three, which Russell Wilson wore for ten seasons with the Seahawks. He explained why, according to a recent NFL.com article from Grant Gordon.

Emmanwori stated:

"He did a lot for this organization. He did everything he could. So I'm going to do what I can in this number and make it special on defense in my own way."

The safety also said that he would have preferred to wear number seven as his top choice, but Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu already wears it. He outlined that he wanted to go with a single-digit number that "meant something" to him, which is how he landed on Wilson's former number.

Emmanwori explained:

"Russell Wilson was one of my favorite quarterbacks growing up, with that Legion of Boom defense, you had an offense too. Respect to Russell."

Nick Emmanwori clearly isn't trying to show up Russell Wilson in any way, but is instead aiming to honor him by wearing the number. For what it's worth, no Seahawks player has worn the number three since their legendary quarterback was traded to the Denver Broncos in 2022. He previously won a Super Bowl ring in two appearances for the franchise.

Nick Emmanwori's outlook with Seahawks in rookie season

Nick Emmanwori

Nick Emmanwori was projected to be a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but landed with the Seattle Seahawks in round two. This demonstrates that they made an elite value pick, getting one of the best overall available players at the time that they selected him.

In three years with the South Carolina Gamecocks, he totaled 244 tackles and six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. While he may have big shoes to fill by wearing Russell Wilson's number, he can be expected to make a major impact for their defense if he lives up to his potential. He is likely to compete for an immediate starting role on their defense, and considering his draft position, he has a real shot at earning it.