NFL draft preview: UB coach Pete Lembo saw safety Nick Emmanwori's potential early on
Nick Emmanwori played at South Carolina, but his connection to Buffalo is via UB coach Pete Lembo, who was on the Gamecocks' staff that recruited Emmanwori.
This is seventh in a series of position previews for the 2025 NFL draft. Today: Safeties.
Nick Emmanwori had scholarship offers from Georgia Southern and Charlotte in the summer of 2021 when he arrived at South Carolina’s football camp.
It didn’t take long for the Gamecocks’ coaches to take notice.
“Just watching him go through the drills, we could see this guy was going to be a freak,” said University at Buffalo coach Pete Lembo, who was on South Carolina’s staff. “We offered him at the end of the camp and the rest is history.”
South Carolina defensive back Nick Emmanwori warms up during a Pro Day event on March 18 in Columbia, S.C. Scott Kinser, Associated Press
Emmanwori’s history at South Carolina was capped by first-team All-America and All-SEC honors last year (88 tackles, four interceptions), prompting him to declare for this month’s NFL draft.
Emmanwori (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) stated his case at the scouting combine, posting a 4.38-second 40-yard dash time, 43-inch vertical jump and 11-foot, 6-inch broad jump, all best among safeties.
Lembo was South Carolina’s assistant head coach/special teams coordinator from 2021-23, his final two years overlapping with Emmanwori’s first two seasons.
“(Emmanwori) played a little bit of special teams as a freshman, but he was playing so much (safety) so early, he basically skipped (the special teams step) in the process,” Lembo said. “You just saw his explosiveness and raw talent from an early age and, obviously, he had a nice season (in 2024) and I think probably made the wise decision to declare and make the transition to the NFL.”
Emmanwori led the Gamecocks with 85 tackles in 2022 and had a team-best 10 pass break-ups in 2023.
“He was always a very physical and explosive player and a bright player,” Lembo said.
Overall position ranking: 6/10.
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Bills view: Safety would have been a priority if the Bills didn’t need immediate contributors/starters at cornerback, edge and defensive tackle. Starter Taylor Rapp is entering the final year of his contract, projected starter Cole Bishop is in his second season (four starts as a rookie), backup/2024 starter Damar Hamlin is on a one-year deal (team-high 14 missed tackles) and newly signed veteran Darrick Forrest is more of a special teams player. Yes, depth is an issue, but it may not be addressed until Day 3 of the draft (rounds 4-7).
Bills need ranking: 7/10.
The Best. Starks started 42 of his 43 games for Georgia over three seasons – he won a starting spot as a freshman and never left the field. He totaled 197 tackles, 23 pass breakups and six interceptions and was a two-time, first-team All-America selection. He will bring his new team a versatile set of skills because he can play downfield as a traditional safety and play against the slot receiver.
After Starks and Emmanwori, Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr. will be an interesting evaluation for teams because of a left knee injury last year that limited him to two games. He is a one-year wonder – 61 tackles and six pass breakups in 2023.
Names to know. Rounding out the top 10 are Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts, Oklahoma’s Billy Bowman Jr., Virginia’s Jonas Sanker, Alabama’s Maachi Moore, Penn State’s Jaylen Reed, Texas’ Andrew Makuba and Maryland’s Dante Trader Jr.
Watts is projected as a Day 2 pick (rounds 2-3). He led FBS with seven interceptions in 2023 and had six more in 2024 in helping the Irish to the College Football Playoff title game. He was a consensus All-America pick last year. Watts’ 13 interceptions in 2023-24 not only led FBS, but he was the only player with at least 10.
Sanker was first-team All-ACC in 2023-24 (205 tackles in 24 games), but had only two career interceptions in 43 games. A team looking for a box safety could add Sanker.
Intriguing. Bowman, a first-team All-America in 2023 (six interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns) is listed at 5 feet, 10⅛ inches and 192 pounds. Too small for some teams? By comparison, the Bills’ Bishop is 6-2, 207 and Rapp 6-0, 208.
Bowman’s production, though, is difficult to ignore – 199 tackles and 11 interceptions in 47 games (41 starts). The team that drafts Bowman won’t get the biggest safety available, but a player who plays well downfield.
Toledo’s Maxen Hook projects as a Day 3 pick. He was first-team All-MAC three times and totaled 356 tackles in 52 games (43 starts).
Sleeper. Kansas State’s Marques Sigle ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at the scouting combine and his five-yard speed of 15.13 mph was the fastest. He started his career with three seasons at FCS North Dakota State before playing two years at K-State (123 tackles, four interceptions). He can play free or strong safety and the nickel position.