Former Gamecocks Nick Emmanwori, T.J. Sanders selected in 2nd round of NFL Draft

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - University of South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the third pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday night. He was the first Gamecock player taken in the 2025 draft and the 35th player selected overall.

Emmanwori, a 6-3, 222-pounder from Irmo, S.C., started 36 of 37 games over three seasons for the Gamecocks. A Freshman All-American in 2022 and a First-Team All-American in 2024, Emmanwori was credited with 244 career tackles and six interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.

In 2024, Emmanwori earned first-team All-America honors according to AP, Sporting News, Reese’s Senior Bowl and College FB Nation, and was a second-team selection by FWAA, SI.com, CBS Sports and Phil Steele. He was a unanimous first-team All-SEC selection and was one of three players named the Joe Morrison MVP for defense. In addition, he was a finalist for the 2024 Blanchard-Rogers Trophy, a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Emmanwori led the team with 88 tackles in 2024 including 57 solo stops and 3.0 tackles for loss. He had four interceptions, tying for fourth in the SEC. He was one of three players in the country to return two interceptions for touchdowns and ranked eighth in the nation with 107 interception return yards. He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at Kentucky (seven tackles and a 24-yard interception return for a TD) and was the co-Defensive Player of the Week following the Oklahoma contest (11 tackles, 2 INT, including a 65-yard pick-six). He led the Gamecocks in tackles six times.

Emmanwori becomes the first Gamecock safety taken in the draft since D.J. Swearinger in 2013. The Gamecocks have now had a player selected in 23 of the last 24 NFL drafts. He is the first Gamecock to be taken by Seattle.

T.J. Sanders

University of South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the ninth pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. He was the 41st player selected overall.

Sanders, a 6-3 5/8, 305-pounder from Marion, S.C., spent four seasons in the Carolina program. He appeared in 39 games with 16 career starts. He logged 109 tackles with 17.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

In 2024, Sanders appeared in all 13 games making nine starts. College Football Nation tabbed him as a first-team All-SEC performer and a third-team All-American while selecting him as the SEC’s Interior Defender of the Year. He was named to the second-team All-SEC squad by the AP and Phil Steele. He finished fifth on the squad and led the defensive lineman with 50 tackles including 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He was also credited with six quarterback hurries and one breakup.

Sanders, who graduated in December with a degree in criminology and criminal justice, becomes the second Gamecock selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, ing Nick Emmanwori, who was taken earlier in the second round by Seattle.

Sanders is the first Gamecock taken by Buffalo since Stephon Gilmore went to the Bills in the first round of the 2012 draft.

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