Seahawks notebook: Rookie Nick Emmanwori cranking out big plays at training camp

RENTON, Wash. – The plays have been coming consistently enough for Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori this week that when another one came his way Friday he had a celebration prepared.

After his third interception in four padded practices this week Friday – catching a pass in the end zone that deflected off the hands of Elijah Arroyo – Emmanwori spun the ball on the ground.

He’d planned for that to be the extent of the celebration. Instead, cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who also had coverage on the play, saw the ball on the ground and kicked it toward the sidelines.

“I’ve been making plays, making turnovers, so I wanted something for the cameras,” Emmanwori said. “So I knew I was going to spin the ball. I didn’t know he was going to kick it, though. That’s Spoon for you.”

The larger takeaway for the Seahawks from Emmanwori’s latest takeaway is that it shows his increasing confidence in the role the team is asking him to play.

Emmanwori was the Seahawks’ second pick in the 2025 draft, going 35th overall out of South Carolina. While listed as a safety, Emmanwori came to the NFL with the tag of being able to play all over the defense and the task for the Seahawks was to figure out his best role.

For now, they have settled on using him mostly as a third safety in five- and six-defensive back sets, a role that can see him rush off the edge, line up as a linebacker or in the slot covering a receiver.

Emmanwori called the plan “exactly what I expected.”

“They told me they wanted to take the plan with me real slow knowing I can play all over the field and stuff, so I think it’s been pretty good,” Emmanwori said. “Every week or every day has been something a little bit new. But I’ve been taking it slow, taking it day by day and just progressing however fast I can.”

The plan has come to life as the pads have come on. Emmanwori had a pick-six on Monday of a Jalen Milroe pass out of the end zone when he lined up on the line, then turned and snared a pass Milroe tried to lob over his head to Brady Russell, turning it into about a 7-yard pick-six.

Emmanwori had another interception Thursday when he dived to snare a Milroe pass the rookie QB threw after trying to evade pressure.

“I don’t know man, I think just the ball’s been finding me a little bit,” Emmanwori said. “But that’s just me putting in the work, trusting the coaching staff and just being in the right position, just having the ultimate confidence in myself. I was talking a little smack in practice about ‘stop throwing the ball my way’ just trying to get my confidence up.”

Here’s more notes from Friday’s practice:

Another big day for Tory Horton

Another rookie getting more comfortable by the day is fifth-round receiver Tory Horton out of Colorado State. Horton sat out most of the offseason program while recovering from knee surgery, so it was hard to read what kind of impact he’d be able to make early on.

Judging by the last few weeks, Horton could be a significant factor in the offense this season.

Horton turned in a handful of catches Friday, including a 38-yard TD from Drew Lock during a one-on-one drill and a leaping grab in traffic during a team drill.

Horton got significant work with the first team, including starting with the No. 1 offense during a late team drill, paired with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp and ahead of Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Horton has worked consistently as one of the primary punt returners along with Steven Sims Jr.

“I think he’s one of the best receivers I’ve seen as far as like growing and developing,” Emmanwori said. “You seen him today – he was making all types of plays.”

Emmanwori offered a prediction.

“I think he’s going to be the steal of the draft,’’ Emmanwori said. “Once he gets on the field he’ll definitely show what he can do for sure.’’

Big plays galore

The Seahawks were on the field for just over two-and-a-half hours with a lot of contact and 11-on-11 drills, so there were a number of big plays on both sides:

There were three interceptions with Witherspoon making a twisting pick of a well-thrown Sam Darnold pass on a fade route in the end zone to Valdes-Scantling.

• Darnold had his highlight plays as well, including a long pass to Kupp during an early team drill and a TD to Smith-Njigba when he got a step on Riq Woolen.

• Linebacker Jamie Sheriff had a pick of a Milroe pass when the rookie tried to lob a pass over the line to running back Jacardia Wright. Milroe overshot Wright with the pass and it went right to Sheriff.

• Milroe also had a few of his own highlights, including hitting Sims for a long TD in the late going.

Seahawks set for Lumen Field debut

The Seahawks will hold their annual open practice at Lumen Field on Saturday at 5:20 p.m.

Coach Mike Macdonald said there will mostly be situational work and not necessarily a gamelike scrimmage.

“We are trying out a new pregame schedule, so we’ll work through that,’’ he said. “And (there will be) a lot of great situational work. It is not a start the clock at quarter one. We will do an opening series situation and a two-minute situation. We are going to simulate an overtime towards the end of practice.

“It is a good opportunity to see the young guys compete at the end of practice too. It will go about an hour and a half to an hour and 45 minutes, and it will be fun with all the 12s there. … It is a great opportunity for us to get used to our home game schedule because it is a big emphasis for us this year.”

Notes

• Linebacker Ernest Jones IV returned after missing a few days for personal reasons and got some work in team drills. Cornerback Shaquill Griffin remains away from the team and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is still not practicing.

• Snapper Chris Stoll left late in practice with an undisclosed injury. He walked to the locker room slowly accompanied by a trainer. Linebacker Josh Ross also sat out practice with an undisclosed injury.

• Left tackle Charles Cross was back with the team Friday after having finger surgery earlier this week, watching from the sidelines.

• With Cross out, veteran Josh Jones appeared to get most of the snaps at left tackle with the starters. Jalen Sundell got most of the snaps with the starters at center and Anthony Bradford at right guard along with Grey Zabel at left guard and Abe Lucas at right tackle.