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Dawn Staley reveals NFL Draft conversation with Nick Emmanwori after Seahawks rookie wins Super Bowl

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh02/10/26griffin_mcveigh

There might not be a bigger Nick Emmanwori fan out there than Dawn Staley. Emmanwori not only spent his college days at South Carolina, but he is also dating one of Stanley’s players, Raven Johnson. So she has been there to support Emmanwori in recent years and even after he left Columbia.

Staley made an SEC Now appearance on Monday, getting asked about her relationship with the now-Super Bowl champion. She revealed a conversation held between her and Emmanwori going back to the NFL Draft process. Fueled by a FaceTime handoff from Johnson, advice came from coach to player.

“Raven was FaceTiming me all throughout Nick’s draft night,” Staley said. “You know Raven. She’s like ‘I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to do. He’s supposed to go earlier.’ If you know Raven, she’s very funny but she was very concerned. So, I just had to talk her off the ledge and then talk to him a little bit because we were on FaceTime. Raven was like ‘Here, you talk to him.’

“I just really told him that ‘Don’t sweat it, don’t sweat it. You’re going to go to the team that needs you the most and that you fit the best.’ If that wasn’t more true than how Nick’s career turned out his rookie year — he got a Super Bowl championship his rookie year.”

Emmanwori had to sit through Thursday night at the 2025 NFL Draft without hearing his name called. His wait on Friday night did not last too long, though. The Seattle Seahawks drafted him with the 35th overall pick in the second round. Only one player at the safety position went ahead of Emmanwori — Georgia‘s Malaki Starks at No. 27 to the Baltimore Ravens.

Staley’s advice turned out to be spot on. Emmanwori fit into the Seattle defense perfectly, creating one of the best units throughout the NFL. Their ability was on full display Sunday night in the Super Bowl vs. the New England Patriots. After a night full of worrying in April, Emmanwori experienced the high point of his career thus far in early February. The perfect way to finish off a rookie campaign.

Maybe Emmanwori will return the favor by showing up to a South Carolina basketball game soon. Staley will take the home sideline again with her team on Feb. 22 with Ole Miss in town. The SEC regular season race is certainly on, needing some championship energy from Emmanwori.